Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

See attached Copy of Minutes file for NCERA197's 2011-2015 meeting minutes

Objective 1. Develop a white paper that addresses agricultural confined spaces.

Bill Field from Purdue University has led an effort to develop this white paper. The draft white paper had been handed out and discussed at various professional meetings, including ASABE and ISASH and the comments logged. He also developed a 2011 summary of grain entrapments in the United States, as documented by Purdue, which included 2011 data as well as data from previous years. Daily searches were conducted for cases, using everything from Google to Westlaw. A manuscript was submitted to JASH reporting on 1255 cases of confined space injuries and deaths, and said he believed the manuscript had been accepted. As a result of his talks with the grain vacuum industry, which did not think its machines could cause entrapment, these machines are now labeled accordingly.

Bill Field explained that progressed had slowed but that the layout was being completed by a designer. Cover shots had been selected and plans were in place to print a few copies for dissemination to experiment station directors. Additional plans were discussed on how electronic distribution could be utilized with pdf links on eXtension, extension.org and the NIOSH agricultural safety and health page. The confined space issue was going to be around and the paper indicates that the committee has served as an indication of how the Land Grant System is addressing the problems.

Objective 2. Sponsor a national conference on agricultural confined spaces.

An agreement with Kelley Donham of the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) at the University of Iowa is in place to use the annual GPCAH November conference as a vehicle for presentation of the work being done on agricultural confined spaces. This conference would be held in Cedar Rapids, IA, on November 14-16, 2012, and would include a half-day field trip to the large Amana Farms complex nearby. The conference is being promoted as a GPCAH conference and a collaborative event with NCERA-197. Field and Aherin both recieved OSHA-funded projects as a result of drafts of this white paper. Purdue is focusing on surveillance, development of four training modules for the FFA curriculum website, and an eight-hour training course on grain entrapment rescue. Illinois is developing four training modules for adult workers; a fifth will be developed by GPCAH. Each module will be designed to be taught in 1.5 to 2 hours. Illinois has developed a coalition on grain storage safety and OSHA has indicated it likes the coalition. There will be a curriculum committee to develop the modules and community-based training methods. Eventually this will all be translated into Spanish. Michael Pate from Utah State conducted a grain storage survey and is also working with the Utah educational network on grain storage safety. Penn State is working on a 2 to 3-year project to develop online design software for engineers to use in designing manure pit ventilation.

Bob Ahern and Bill Field provided an update on the results of the MRASH conference in Cedar Rapids, IA. It was indicated that this conference was a success and well attended by various stakeholders of the grain industry as well as other safety professionals. Bob Aherin stated that the ASCHA conference in Minneapolis will have a confined space session as well as an expert session called a _Genius Bar._ Bob Aherin noted that there were plans for a poster session at the conference. Dennis Murphy stated that there will be a session on grain bin safety standards, a biomass session and a plenary session with Bob Aherin, Catherine an OSHA industry rep working collaboratively. Dennis explained this would be an opportunity to highlight success getting stakeholders together. Dennis stated that Bill Field will be doing something on cost of injury as well as cost estimation on converting grain bins to comply with regulations. Bill Field shared with the committee the proposed ISASH conference professional development session agenda on Agricultural Confined Spaces. Bill Field commented that an ASABE grain bin standard had been proposed but was not well done or partly done. Dee Jepsen continued the discussion regarding activities at the ISASH conference. Dee Jepsen stated there were plans to present a session on portable units for rescue training to show case sustainable efforts and how to overcome costs restraints.

Details were provided regarding conferences and training programs that have been hosted collaboratively with other organizations including grain companies, workers compensation groups, as well as OSHA. Dennis Murphy provided an update that Penn State will be working on hosting a training conference with NRCS regarding manure storage safety and gases. Discuss was also provided on the completion of MRASH and ISASH in 2012.

Objective 3. Encourage research and outreach at land grant universities on agricultural confined spaces.

Murphy provided stakeholder input for AFRI grants to help get farm safety written into RFAs. Dee Jepsen noted that the Priester conference had several farm safety presentations. Field discussed his conversations with Kareem Dale, President Obama_s special assistant on disability issues, and noted that AgrAbility was written into the Farm Bill. 

Bill Field shared information on Purdue_s Susan Harwood grant to develop training resources and is being reviewed by OSHA. Bill Field noted the goal was to provide the training binder on a thumb drive to pass out. Bill Field commented that a draft was floating around on children in Ag confined spaces based on his data collected. Additional efforts were to provide the National FFA website an introduction to grain and hazards curriculum. Bob Aherin shared with the committee the progress regarding efforts Illinois has made on their Susan Harwood. Bob Aherin commented there was confusion on understanding who were eligible to participant in the trainings. Dennis Murphy provided updates on Penn State efforts regarding engineering designs for manure gas ventilation for entry in every type of storage. Dennis Murphy provided updates on current efforts for revision of ASABE SO6 Standards for all storage to be covered. Dennis Murphy shared a current issue being investigated was non-enclosed and open air storage with the use of Gypsum bedding producing high levels of Hydrogen Sulfide gas. Cheryl Skjolass indicated this was a concern in Wisconsin and shared efforts to work with nutrient applicators. Bill Field stated that there was a fatality in Saratoga Springs involving a wooden manure storage facility. Charles Schwab provided an update on Iowa State biomass fuel projects involving risk awareness analysis with production of fuels using switch grass, miscanthus and corn. Aaron Yoder and Dennis Murphy provided an update on a collaborative wood biomass project involving willow shrubs and safety issues with timing of harvest. Bill Field noted that Europe_s power systems using biomass was more of a transportation issue involving low density material and large trucks. Bobby Grisso commented that there were substantial biomass storage fire issues involving outdoor/indoor storage.

Additional comments indicated that the confined space issue is broad can cross-link other multi-state projects including post-harvest grain quality, biomass, pontoon lagoon agitation and livestock housing. Participants were encouraged to seek out those potential collaborators for future funding and programming efforts.

Objective 4. Encourage new and improved ASABE Standards.

It was noted that ASAE EP470 JAN1992 (R2005), Manure Storage Safety, needs revision to incorporate the latest information. (Since its adoption in 1992, it has not been revised, and was last reconfirmed in February 2005.) Randy Beaver at Purdue had been developing suggested revisions to EP470 and that Field would be forwarding those to Murphy. Field noted that there is no ASABE standard on grain storage safety. However, he reported that an external committee chaired by ASABE Past President Harmon Towne, who is a retired president of a grain bin manufacturer, has a subcommittee to draft a standard to be submitted to ASABE. Field helped develop the Purdue Extension bulletin S-77, Beware of Flowing Grain Dangers. Jepsen has helped develop a pony cart standard, which is in progress, and Field developed newly published JASH paper proposing the need for a hitch-pin standard.

Bill Field stated the Grain Bin standard was not shared with him and that no one was allowed to see. The proposed standard was defeated. Bill Field shared updates on develops of a hitch pin standard. Additional discussion was generated on standard labels for grain bin to protect farmers with standards operator’s manual versus installation manual. Manure storage ventilation standards progress was being made on software only to update accepted revision. Dee Jepsen shared updates on the revision of the standard concerning animal drawn carts 570.6.1. This involved the lighting and marking of low profile pony carts.

An update on the revisions and approval status of Standard 690 in ASABE was provided. A report on the revised grain bin standard was provided and that it would focus more on prevention rather than rescue. Bill Field also provided an update on the Hitch Pin standard approval status. Dee Jepsen reported the lighting and marking standard was approved last year. Dennis Murphy reported there was a front end loader standard being considered .

Objective 5. Identify the next high priority topic for the Committee.

Penn State is developing a safety and health resource manual for new and beginning farmers; developing a manual for farm operators/managers to use in teaching safety and health to new employees, is holding tractor driving workshops; and is developing a manual on how to teach tractor driving. Jepsen conducted an online survey about agricultural safety and health teaching had been sent to members of the agricultural safety community.

Identify the next high priority topic for the Committee Aaron Yoder and Dennis Murphy shared updates on their collaborative grant project for new and beginning farmers. Connie Baggett inquired on Veteran_s new farm plan. Dennis Murphy provided comments on website Extension Ag extension educators manual on how to organize tractor safety course. Committee comments indicated interest from CSA non-profit farms as a potential safety market using more small farm conferences. Dee Jepsen provided updates on Cleveland programs for New and beginning farmers. Brad Rein commented that vertical farming taking off found market from warehouse to produce. Additional discussion was generated on green houses and ergonomic issues.

A discussion on the teleconference conducted concerning fall related injuries and hazards in agriculture was initiated. A subcommittee to focus on the falls in agriculture was created. Marshall Martin provided updates on key deadlines for NCERA-197 project renewal submission. Committee members brainstormed ideas regarding issues and justification for project renewal. Ideas generated included Public Perception and compliance issues, mental health, impact of training, sensors and technology, and robotics and automation safety.

Objective 6. Work to increase infrastructure support within the land grant system for agricultural safety and health.

Aaron Yoder developed a new eXtension.org Community of Practice known as FReSH, or Farm and Ranch eXtension in Safety and Health. The CoP is in operation and has been focusing on new and beginning farmers. It also provides a place for investigators that are studying Agricultural Safety and Health to disseminate their findings.

Committee members also reported that due to some of their efforts Safety has been included in several of the larger USDA grant RFAs including the AFRI and Biomass projects. 

A report on the eXtension community of practice was provided. Other opportunities to collaborate and network with other disciplines were discussed.