Another season of Husker Football is upon us, the kids are back in school, harvest has begun…dare we say, Fall is nearly here!
For many businesses and organizations, this time of year involves planning and establishing operating budgets. This is also a perfect time to review and assess your employee training needs. A proactive approach to employee training will give you peace of mind and engage your team in a way that builds leadership and drives growth.
Our Safety & Wellness Bundles are turn-key solutions that provide your new employees and seasoned staff with baseline or ongoing training. An educated and confident staff creates an environment with fewer injuries, illness, absenteeism, and most importantly, builds a culture of empowerment and engagement.
These “bundles” have been designed as a “first step, next step” model to work within your budget and maintain consistency with your worker training and education plan.
Give us a call and we can work to build an affordable, customizable annual training plan.
Many thanks to Nucor Steel for making this edition of the Worker 360° Digest possible!
And as always, GO. BIG. RED.
John M. Lefler, Jr. Executive Director
• TRAFFIC: TIPS FOR DRIVERS & AG OPERATORS ON ROADS DURING HARVEST
• SAFETY: AGRICULTURE WORKER SAFETY
• WELLNESS: HELP IS AVAILABLE. CALL. TEXT. CHAT.
• SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES
• MEMBER BENEFITS
• UPCOMING EVENTS
• 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Nucor Steel is a team forged around a vision for leading the industry by providing unparalleled customer care, building trusted partnerships and creating sustained value. Their steel experts work alongside you from the earliest stages of design to completion.
REMINDER: FREE ROAD SAFETY PRESENTATION
Members are eligible for a FREE road safety presentation annually. Topics covered include:
• Seat belt usage
• Cell phone usage
• Distracted driving
• Impaired driving
• Drowsy driving
SIGN UP:
Fill out an interest form online or contact Kirk Van Pelt to schedule a presentation!
Website: Click Here to submit an interest form.
Call: 402.483.2511 ext. 104
Email: kvanpelt@nesafetycouncil.org
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TRAFFIC:
TIPS FOR DRIVERS & AG OPERATORS ON ROADS DURING HARVEST
Harvest season brings new challenges for all drivers in rural areas. Be alert and prepared to stop, yield and pull over for farm machinery to avoid a possible collision.
AUTO DRIVERS:
• Be patient. Expect a slower speed, typically between 5-15 mph.
• Leave as much room as possible when meeting large equipment on the road.
• Expect large equipment to take wider turns and even travel into both lanes to properly turn.
• Do not pull out in front of farm equipment and suddenly slow down.
• Watch for turn signals, hand signals, and other ways a farmer or rancher may try to communicate with you.
• When passing machinery, be sure to double check for oncoming traffic, slow down, and look for turn signals if the equipment has them.
FARMERS:
• Verify that all lights and flashers on your farm equipment are working properly.
• Use warning flashers, flags, lights, and slowmoving vehicle emblems on all equipment.
• Apply reflective tape to machines to improve visibility to motorists at dusk.
• Avoid traveling after sunset and times when more traffic is expected.
• Avoid parking on roadways.
• Be mindful of the height of your farm equipment.
• Check to ensure all loads are balanced and securely mounted.
• Use turn signals and hand signals whenever possible to communicate with fellow drivers.
• Check traffic before turning to assure fellow drivers are not passing you.
• Stay aware of fellow drivers.
SAFETY: AGRICULTURE WORKER SAFETY
It may not seem like it, but the days of fall and harvest are just around the corner. This is a very busy time of the year for farmers. It is also a time to keep safety in mind. During harvest, farmers face many hazards with equipment, fire, falls, confined spaces, and driving. Farming and Ranching are considered one of the most dangerous sectors for labor workers.
When dealing with equipment, always watch for pinch points, proper safety guards, jams, belts, and electrical plugs. Remind all workers to keep situational awareness and never take a running machine for granted. Everyone operating or working near running equipment should watch for belts and chains that can catch and pull clothing. Never reach into a chute to remove plugged plants while it is running and always properly shut down and lock out equipment before attempting to clear jams or perform maintenance.
During the harvest season, remind all workers to use proper hand holds when climbing and dismounting equipment, it is easy to miss a step and injure an ankle, knee, and more. When working on top of grain wagons or bins, use proper fall protection and never work in these areas when augers are running. When working inside grain bins or wagons, it is important to wear a safety harness and rescue rope in case of an emergency.
Each piece of equipment should have a fire extinguisher, and each worker should be trained on proper use. It is also a good idea for all farm vehicles to carry extinguishers.
When it comes to driving, we all play a role in safety. When pulling a trailer or wagon, always check the load weight, hitches, chains, lights, tires, and brakes. Fix what needs fixing before it can be the cause of an incident. As the rest of us drive down a country road, county highway or any other route through farmland, always be on the alert for tractors, combines, wagons, and other farm vehicles. When possible, stop and let them pass or slow down and only pass when certain it is safe.
Author: Brian York, Safety Services Manager
CULTIVATING COMMUNITY PROGRAM
DID YOU KNOW?
More than one-third of the Nebraska population (33%) lives in rural communities. These communities have limited access to healthcare and emergency services, mental health practitioners, dental care, internet access, and limited educational health and safety resources.
ABOUT THIS PROGRAM:
We offer this program to help meet the need by increasing access to health and safety resources and training opportunities for local residents. Free and low-cost programs are available.
FREE PROGRAMS:
• Sleepless in Nebraska Presentation
• QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Training for Agricultural Communities, a Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training
• Staying Safe on Nebraska Roadways
• Talking About Ticks: A Lyme Disease Prevention Program
• Zoonotic Disease and Pregnancy: A Deeper Dive
EMOTIONAL WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE SERIES
ABOUT THE SERIES: We offer a four-part series about emotional wellbeing in the workplace. This is a great series to include in weekly, monthly, or quarterly staff training.
• Session One: How to properly handle mental health at the workplace.
• Session Two: Learn how to manage your stress in a healthier way.
• Session Three: Physical symptoms at the workplace
• Session Four: What are the four goals of misbehavior?
REGISTER
WELLNESS: HELP
IS AVAILABLE - CALL. TEXT. CHAT.
When writing these articles, I am typically all about bringing levity to wellness. This month, we will be discussing something a little heavier, but so incredibly important. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This is a time to continue to raise awareness about suicide prevention, recognize that millions of people have experienced suicidal ideation, remember those who have been lost to suicide - or lost a family member to suicide, as well as share messages of hope.
One of the first things we can do to support this effort is to educate yourself and others. Below are some warning signs and resources. Keep in mind these lists are not comprehensive.
WARNING SIGNS:
• Talking about/making plans for suicide
• Acting anxious or agitated
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Talking about feeling trapped
• Increasing substance use
• Talking about feeling hopeless
• Sleeping too much/too little
• Withdrawing
• Showing rage
• Displaying extreme mood swings
If you, or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call, text, or chat with the 988 lifeline.
Author: Kelsey Pruss,
RESOURCES:
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Line
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention –Nebraska Chapter
I will leave you all with a quote I found on the 988lifeline.org stories section.
“I want to share this with you because life is complicated, hard, and often a constant struggle. But that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.”
– Mike Ligouri
sprc.org, and afsp.org
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