The Easter
Seal Society
Quadriplegia
means paralysis in all four limbs. The degree of paralysis
may vary depending on the level of injury to the spinal cord.
The following is a list of safety tips that have been shared
by farmers affected by quadriplegia.
- When
using a manlift on a tractor someone should assist with
the transfer process to prevent excessive bruising by guiding
your legs through the tractor doorway and assisting the
transfer from the wheelchair to the manlift and from the
mantift to the tractor seat. The manlift should be used
only by the person with a disability. The manlift should
never be operated while the tractor is in motion. No one
should ride on the manlift while the tractor is in motion.
- To
prevent potential skin breakdown while operating farm machinery,
various wheelchair cushions can be used. Modifications can
also be made to the tractor seat to provide better upper
body stability by using ergonomically designed or custom
made cushions and a chest belt.
- A
seatbelt should also be used on manlifts to provide safety
and security.
- Padding
of hand controls or restraining of legs using a belt should
be considered to prevent bruising or scraping during a leg
spasm while you are operating the tractor.
- All
hand controls installed in the tractor should be constructed
using appropriate standards and guidelines to ensure safe
and effective use of controls.
- A
fire extinguisher should be available within the cab of
the tractor.
- Rollover
protective structures are recommended on all equipment.
- For
tractors without a cab, special care should be taken to
prevent sunburn and heat stroke during the summer by wearing
a cooling vest, drinking lots of fluids, installing an overhead
canopy, bringing water along, or performing field work during
times in which there is less exposure to heat (ie, early
mornings, evenings, or nighttime).
- During
winter months, warm clothing should be worn to protect against
exposure or frostbite due to decreased circulation. Quilted
material wrapped around lower extremities, leg-warmers,
modified "Snug Sacks", Alaskan mukluks, and other materials
can be used to keep upper and lower extremities warm. Downhill
ski shops are a source for good ideas.
- Keep
an outdoor communication device with you to use in case
of emergency. These devices include: FM/business band radio,
cellular phone, and a push-button alarm system. Modifications
to these devices may be needed for safe and effective use.
- Try
to avoid direct access with livestock. Restructure of these
tasks so that they can be done by another person. Use labor-saving
worksite modifications including fence line feeders, automated
feed systems, automatic gate openers, raised decks, and
livestock holding equipment.
- For
farmers with spinal cord injuries and preexisting respiratory
impairments, dust, mold, dander from livestock and other
respiratory irritants should be avoided, especially if your
spinal cord injury results in decreased function of diaphragm
or lung capacity. There is a concern that individuals with
higher-level spinal cord injuries and several years of working
in livestock handling facilities could be more susceptible
to pneumonia.
- Other
labor-saving technologies such as automatic hitching devices
and bin level indicators should be considered as well as
job restructuring of those tasks that are difficult or hazardous
to perform.
- Any
adaptations or modifications intended for use by an individual
with a disability should be used by that individual only.
Use of a modification or adaptation by another individual
could result in an injury.
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
The information shared is based on data gathered by the
Easter Seal Society of Iowa's Farm Family Rehabilitation Management
(FaRM) Program through financial support from the Injury Prevention
Research Center at the University of Iowa Grant #R49\CCR703640-02
funded by the Center for Disease Control. No scientific research
has been conducted to determine if the above tips or suggestions
are safe or effective. The information shared is simply ideas
shared by farmers affected by disabilities of the staff at the
FaRM Program. For more information or clarification contact
the FaRM Program at (515) 289-1933 or submit comments or questions
to P. 0. Box 4002, Des Moines, Iowa, 50333.
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