Lesson Plan #1
Safety - It's an Attitude: Promoting Farm and Ranch Safety
by Scott D. Whitman and Dr. Steven A. Freeman
Introduction
Because farming and ranching is as much a lifestyle as an occupation, the entire
family, including children and senior citizens, are often exposed to the many hazards
associated with the agricultural workplace. Unlike most other industries, the majority
of our farms are exempt from the enforcement of many government safety and health
regulations. Farm families, therefore, must take on the responsibility of educating
family members and workers about hazards, and implementing safety practices that
prevent injuries.
Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is to:
- foster understanding of the reasons people sometimes take unnecessary risks
- help students develop an action plan designed to promote safety among farm families.
Audience
This lesson is appropriate for farm family members, community leaders, and high
school agricultural science classes.
Objectives
At the completion of this lesson, students should be able to:
- Discuss some of the factors that influence people's safety-related behaviors.
- Describe some basic strategies for promoting safe behavior.
- Outline a simple "Safety Action Plan" for promoting safety in their community.
Lesson Outline
Part I: Why People Do Unsafe Things (10 minutes)
Activity I: Identifying Challenges (15 minutes)
Part II: Planning Your Winning Strategy (10 minutes)
Activity II: Developing Your Safety Action Plan (15 minutes)
Putting it Together (10 minutes)
The Lesson: Safety - It's an Attitude: Promoting
Farm and Ranch Safety
Part I: Why People Do Unsafe Things
Our beliefs and personal values often affect our actions - even actions that affect
our own safety. when faced with a potentially dangerous situation, we may ask ourselves:
- "Is this really that dangerous?"
- "Can anything bad happen to me?"
- "Even if it could, how bad could it really be?"
- "What does it matter? Can I do anything about it anyway?"
Because people's beliefs impact what they do, we must first understand a person's
beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes before we can develop a safety promotion program
that will "hit 'em where it counts."
Definitions:
Hazard: Anything that has the potential to cause injury or loss.
Risk: A factor of the potential severity of loss or injury, and the likelihood that
such loss will occur.
Discussion:
1. How people view "risk"
- Severity of the potential outcome
- Which is a greater risk, flying on an airplane or riding in a car? Does the answer
change the way you travel? Why or why not?
- Likelihood it will occur
- Do you personally wear a seatbelt all the time? Why or why not?
- Personal factors (e.g., familiarity, personal control)
- Why would a farmer/parent choose to allow children to ride as passengers on tractors
knowing that it could be "dangerous?"
2. Other factors influencing safety behavior
- Recognition that the hazard exists.
- Beliefs about the effectiveness of the recommended safety procedure - will it really
make a difference?
- Beliefs about personal ability to successfully perform safety procedures. If you
don't think you can do it, why bother?
- Philosophical beliefs
Demonstration Notes:
- Use a large vs. small hammer to illustrate the potential severity of hitting your
thumb.
- Use various sizes of nails to illustrate the chance of hitting your thumb.
- Have students choose between holding the nail or using the manner to illustrate
personal control.
Activity I: Identifying Challenges
Each one of us knows someone who currently has an "unsafe habit" that we would like
for him or her to change. Share an example with the members of your group. As a
group, select one of the unsafe habits (behaviors) from your discussion and answer
the following questions:
- What makes this activity (behavior) unsafe?
- How must the activity be changed to make it safe?
- What beliefs or values might get in the way of making that change?
-Perceived severity of the potential outcome
-Perceived likelihood it will occur (to the person in question)
-Personal factors such as familiarity of level of personal control
Part II: Planning Your Winning Strategy
Successful safety programs focus on one or two specific safety themes. Develop clearly
defined goals that focus on changing specific "unsafe" attitudes or getting people
to agree to adopt certain safety practices. One you select a theme, you'll need
to refine your message-what you're going to say, and decide on your approach - how
you're going to say it. The following outline provides some ideas to help in this
process.
Developing Your Message
1. Use your knowledge of risk and the factors that influence safety-related behaviors.
Survey potential members of your audience to learn about their beliefs regarding
the existence, severity, and likelihood of encountering the hazards you are targeting.
Use your findings to:
- Increase awareness of the severity and likelihood of the target hazards: (1) use
well-researched facts and statistics; (2) provide examples or "testimonials."
- "Sell" safety practices. Urge the audience to take specific actions, rather than
just "be careful." Strategies include: (1) giving examples of specific, realistic
actions they can take; (2) providing cost-benefit information; and (3) demonstrating
how they could perform the recommended safety practice.
- Be thorough and well prepared, but keep your "take home message" simple.
2. Planning Your Approach: In a safety promotion program, selecting the right "channel"
(media or format) and the appropriate messenger are just as important as the message
itself.
- Selecting the messenger: The most effective spokespersons for delivering a safety
message will be people and/or organizations who are credible and influential to
your audience. For technical issues, it may be extension personnel, teachers, equipment
dealers, rescue professionals, or other farmers. It's important to know your audience.
Children are usually receptive to teens, but older adults (grandparents) may be
more receptive to children.
- Selecting the format: Select a "channel," or program format, that: (1) your audience
is most likely to tune in to, and (2) can effectively deliver the message. Examples
include:
Workshops - Can include speakers, videos, slides, and small demonstrations. This
format is best suited to groups high school age and older. Interactive demonstrations
can be added to make the program more suitable for family groups.
Day-camps, or safety days - Participants are usually divided into groups and rotated
through short mini-classes featuring different topics. Inherently more interactive,
this format is more likely to hold the attention of younger audiences.
Information campaigns - May involve running newspaper columns or radio ads, or using
volunteers to deliver information. This approach can be effective in raising awareness
and motivating community action on general issues.
Hazard Hunts - Voluntary hazard inspections can raise awareness of problems.
3. Follow Through and Make it Happen: Don't let your audience off easy - a failure
to commit is the same as "no." Here are some ideas: (1) demand a commitment, and
(2) provide a reminder that will keep the message fresh (e.g., stickers, signs,
"I Promise" cards, thank you notes).
Activity II: Developing Your Safety Action Plan
"Buzz" Session
It's your turn. As a group, review your notes from your first discussion about unsafe
activities, and the barriers to achieving desired changes. Next, discuss how you
would address those barriers as you develop a plan to promote farm and ranch safety
to motivate your community to adopt a safer approach.
Use the following outline to "think through' the basic planning process for promoting
farm and ranch safety. Before committing your final plan to paper, discuss each
question among the group and record as many ideas as possible.
Putting It Together
Setting Goals
- Identify a need based on the injuries or health concerns prevalent to your area.
- Describe the intended audience (age groups, occupation, types of farms, etc.).
- What are the specific educational objectives of the promotion activity?
Selecting Topics, Formats, and Participants
- Based on the need and audience identified above, what topics or issues should be
addressed as part of the safety promotion activity?
- What formats (e.g., public information campaign, workshop, day-camp) best fit the
topics and audience identified above?
- Based on the topics and formats identified, what participants will be needed? Is
this a topic that you can cover yourself? Is there a local "expert" that is willing
to help? will the format require teamwork, multiple presenters, or additional resources?
Keep in mind that this is only the first step. Now you'll need to consider such
things as time, date, location, equipment, fund raising, and publicity (especially
if you are planning some type of workshop or program). Have fun! You're well on
your way to developing a successful safety promotion program.
Supplemental Material
Farm Family Safety & Health Workshop Leaders Guide (S-90)
This 90-page manual provides a step-by-step guide for planning, organizing, and
conducting a community safety program. (For ordering information, contact: Agricultural
Safety and Health Program, Purdue University, 1146 ABE Building, West Lafayette,
IN 47907-1146; Phone: (317) 494-5013.)
Additional Resources
The following organizations can provide additional information:
Authors
Mr. Scott D. Whitman
Agricultural Communication Specialist
12660 135 1/2 Avenue North, Dayton, MN 55327, USA
Phone: (612) 427-4147
Dr. Steven A. Freeman
Assistant Professor, Iowa State University
218 E. Ed II, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Phone: (317) 494-5013
Fax: (317) 496-1356.
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