Charles
Schwab and Laura
Miller
Iowa State University Extension
Late
one summer afternoon, a 28-year-old dairy farmer entered a
10-foot-deep manure pit to replace a shear pin on an agitator
shaft. While he was climbing out, he was overcome and fell
onto the pit floor. The man's 15-year-old nephew saw what
had happened, climbed into the pit and also collapsed. One
by one, others entered the pit to help -- the boy's father,
his cousin, and his grandfather who owned the farm -- and
all were overcome.
Finally,
the owner of a local farm implement business and two workers
rescued victims with a rope: they did not go into the pit.
The emergency rescue squad arrived 20 minutes after the tragedy
began. All five family members died.
This
1989 incident from another state shows how untrained and inexperienced
rescuers became victims. It also shows the need to know what
to do in an emergency.
According
to the Iowa Department of Public Health, 83 Iowans died and
3,043 were injured in reported farm accidents during 1992.
Most likely, a family member or another farm worker was first
at the scene for those Iowans. If you work or live on a farm,
you also could be a first responder and will need to make
life-saving decisions that will not put you or the accident
victim in further danger.
First
response is critical in farm-related accidents. Such accidents
often occur in isolated areas and may involve entrapment by
farm machinery or in structures that are difficult to enter.
A telephone may not be nearby, and the first responder may
be alone. Tremendous stress can cause indecisiveness, delay,
and incorrect decisions about appropriate action to take.
The
first rule is to keep calm. Fear and anxiety are normal reactions
when a severely injured person, possibly a family member, is
discovered. Mental preparation and training can help the first
responder overcome these emotions and act rationally.
Your
primary concerns are to: 1) get professional help for the
injured person by activating emergency medical services (EMS);
2) make sure the victim and you are not in further danger,
and 3) provide care until EMS arrive. The appropriate action
isn't always apparent, and the first responder sometimes must
make difficult choices.
Should
you help the victim first or contact EMS? It depends on several
factors, such as whether the injured person is breathing. If
breathing stops, irreversible brain damage could occur in four
to six minutes. You may need to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) before leaving the scene.
If you
can, however, activate EMS as soon as possible. A general
rule is: the sooner an individual receives advanced medical
care, the greater chance of survival. You may quickly get
help by flagging down a passing motorist, or sending someone
else.
When
you call emergency personnel, never hang up until the dispatcher
or operator tells you to do so. The dispatcher may start the
emergency response procedure and come back for more information.
Provide
the following information: 1) the location of the accident
(use accurate mileage distances and landmarks that are visible
at night and in snow); 2) your name and telephone number from
which you are calling; 3) nature of the accident; 4) the number
of victims and conditions; 5) type of aid that was or can
be given; 6) whether someone will meet EMS at a remote location,
and 7) any special conditions that might hinder rescue efforts,
such as a possible gas spill, fire, or electrical wires
Post
detailed directions to your farm at all telephones. Even if
you have a "911" system, post numbers for the poison control
center and power company. Make sure all family members, especially
children, can tell others how to get to your farm.
After
you call emergency personnel, or have decided this was not the
first step, control hazards at the scene that could harm you
or cause further harm to the injured person. Typical hazards
include uncontrolled movement of machinery, fire and explosions,
spills of hot liquids or chemicals, exposed electrical wires,
and toxic fumes.
Here
are general concerns for common types of farm accidents:
- Manure
storage facilities. Multiple deaths are common in underground
pits because deadly gases can be present in the enclosed
area. Never enter a pit without a self-contained breathing
apparatus. Never lower a fan into an underground storage
area for added ventilation because sparks from the motor
could cause methane gas to explode.
- Power
take-off equipment. Is the tractor shut off? Always
turn off the ignition key on the tractor and shut off the
fuel on a diesel tractor. Do not disengage the PTO. When
tension is released, a PTO can move and cause additional
injury to a victim. Remove clothes only if they restrict
breathing.
- Tractor
overturns. Is the tractor stable? An overturned tractor
may roll down a slope; on level ground it may be unstable
due to a hydraulic system failure. Always approach a tractor
from the uphill side where you may still be able to shut
off the tractor, eliminate a fire hazard, or help the victim.
- Grain
bins. Is power to the auger turned off? It takes less
than 15 seconds for someone to be buried in grain. If the
person is in grain above the knees, do not use a rope because
further injuries could result. Ventilation fans will help
the victim get air, but vibrations could collapse a grain
bridge.
- Electrocution.
Is the power source disconnected? Never touch an electrocution
victim unless power is turned off. Do not try to drag the
person to safety with a stick or board because you also
risk electrocution.
Once
you've contacted EMS and done all you can to prevent further
danger, provide first aid until emergency personnel arrive.
Never move someone with a spinal injury unless in immediate
danger because it could result in death or paralysis. Accidents
that could cause spinal injury include entanglement or entrapment
in machinery, being thrown from equipment, or long falls.
The
best you can do in an emergency is to remain calm and, if
the injured person is conscious, provide assurance. The key
is being prepared as a first responder so that you can think
rationally and make critical choices to improve the injured
person's chances for survival.
How
Much Do You Know?
Do you know what to do in an accident? Review the basics with this quiz.
- If
you discover an accident, your job is to get professional
medical treatment to the victim as soon as possible. True
or false?
- When
you dial 911, you should:
- provide
details and wait for someone to tell you to hang up.
- quickly
give details and return to the scene.
- When
responding to an accident with a power take-off (PTO) unit,
always shut off the tractor but never disengage the PTO.
True or false?
- If
you can't shut off power after a possible electrocution,
your only choice is to:
- call
the power company.
- quickly
pull the victim away from danger.
- use
a pole and push the victim to safety.
See
answers at the end of "What Can You Do?".
What
Can You Do?
What you
do the first few minutes after a farm accident can mean the
difference between life and death. To prepare you and your family
for such emergencies, follow these tips:
- Post
emergency information at every telephone.
- Practice
making emergency calls.
- Enroll
in first aid and CPR classes.
- Discuss
possible actions to take if you find someone:
- entangled
in a PTO;
- lying
in a manure pit;
- pinned
underneath a tractor;
- who
possibly has been electrocuted;
- caught
inside grain.
- Place
a first aid kit in each tractor, the home and workshop.
Answers
to quiz:
1-True;
2-a; 3-True; 4-a.
This
publication did not address the technical aspects of emergency
response. Adult family members and full-time farm workers should
receive training in first aid and CPR. To inquire about classes,
contact the American Red Cross, American Heart Association,
or local fire departments and hospitals. Two other helpful publications
include:
- First
on the Scene, NRAES-12, available at any extension office
for $7.
- NIOSH
Alert: Preventing Deaths of Farm Workers in Manure Pits,
NIOSH #90-103, free from the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio
45226, or 1-800-35-NIOSH.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent
NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission
of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This document
is Fact Sheet
Pm-1518l
,
a series of the Safe Farm Program, Iowa State University Extension,
Ames, Iowa. Safe Farm promotes health and safety in agriculture.
It is funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health, Iowa State University, and a network of groups that
serve Iowa farm workers and their families. Publication date:
December 1993.
Prepared
by Charles Schwab, extension safety specialist, and Laura
Miller, extension communications. Design by Valerie King,
Iowa State University Extension, Ames, Iowa. Portions adapted
from First on the Scene, NRAES-12.
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