Agricultural safety and health research at Penn State is multi-dimensional,
its scope ranges from engineering to reduce exposure to hazards to safety
training for youth, managing agricultural emergencies, how to most effectively
utilize best management practices, providing technical support to farmers
with disabilities and social impacts of farm work injuries.
Project status:
IP = In progress
C = Completed project
 |
Engineering for
Safety |
-- Display of Stability Data for Safe Tractor Operation
Project goal is to develop real-time online monitoring of tractor stability
and instability information and to display this information to the operator.
(IP)
Key personnel: Dennis J. Murphy (PI), H. J. Sommer III (Co-PI)
-- Confined Space Manure Storage Ventilation Standards Project goal is to
design and construct test facility in order to develop ventilation standards
for human entry into manure storage pits. (IP) Key personnel: Harvey B. Manbeck
(PI), Dennis J. Murphy (Co-PI)
 |
Emergency Management |
-- Agricultural Emergency Management via Improved
Community Resources Project Goal is to develop materials to help teach
farmers, farm families, and employees how to manage injury emergencies
on their farms. (IP)
Key personnel: Dennis J. Murphy (PI), Davis Hill
(Project Coordinator)
-- Developing and Evaluating a Statewide Farm Rescue
Training Program Project goal is to develop a module approach to teaching farm
rescue techniques. (IP)
Key personnel: Dennis J. Murphy (PI), Davis Hill (Project Coordinator)
| |
Farmers with Disabilities |
-- AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians Project
goal is to assist farmers and other agricultural workers in remaining in agriculture
through
application of assistive technology in the workplace. (IP)
Key personnel:
Connie Bagget (PI), Dennis J. Murphy (Consultant)
 |
Injury Data |
-- Identifying and Classifying Agricultural Injury Cases. Project goal
is to utilize the Farm and Agriculture Injury Classification Follow-up
Questionnaire (FAIC-FQ) as a source document for maintaining the Penn
State Agricultural
Injury Database. The FAIC-FQ is used with the Farm and Agriculture Injury
Classification Code (developed by the American
Society of Agricultural Engineers).
(IP) Key personnel: Dennis J. Murphy (PI), Aaron Yoder, (Project Coordinator)
 |
Managing Safety
on the Farm |
-- ASHBMP Project goal is to adapt the Agricultural Safety & Health Best
Management Practices audit form to make it more useful to the insurance industry.
(IP)
Key personnel: Dennis J. Murphy (PI), Bill Harshman, Doug Schaufler
 |
Social Impacts of Farm Work Injuries |
-- Social and Emotional Impacts of Farm Work Injuries on
Families and Communities Project goal was to explore and document social and
emotional impacts of farm work injuries and fatalities on survivors, family
members and communities. (C)
Key Personnel: Dennis J. Murphy (PI), Lisa A. Davis (Co-PI), S. M. Robertson
(Project Coordinator)
 |
Youth Safety |
-- Establishing a National Safe Tractor and Machinery Certificate Program
(links to page) Project goal is to develop materials for use with youth
for safe
tractor and machinery operation. (IP)
Key personnel: James W. Hilton (PI),
Dennis J. Murphy (Co-PI)
-- Determining Agriculturally Related Skills 12 – 20 Year Olds
Need for Non-Parental Farm Employment of Six Months or
Less Project goal is to broadly assess an agricultural employer’s skill
needs in modern employment settings with an emphasis on the skill needs of
youth employees. (IP)
Key Personnel: John Becker (PI), Dennis J. Murphy
-- Evaluating Demonstration Project of Safe Play Areas on Farms (SPAF).
Project goals are to: a) to evaluate the effectiveness of a demonstration “SPAF” exhibit
during the Pennsylvania Farm Show as a means to educate and motivate
targeted adults regarding creating safe
play
areas; b). to ascertain participants’ perceptions of barriers to creating
safe play areas on farms and ranches; c) to ascertain what participants
need/want in order to develop safe play areas. (C) Key personnel: Dennis
J. Murphy (PI), S.
M. Robertson (Project Coordinator).
--Evaluating Safe Play Areas on Farms II. Project goals are to: a)assess
the impact of an interactive demonstration of model safe play areas
on farms (SPAF) at a major outdoor farm event; b) to build upon knowledge
gained from the Penn State evaluation of an indoor SPAF; c) to describe
an effective process and the required resources to host a SPAF demonstration
project. (IP) In conjunction with the National Children's Center for
Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. Key personnel: Dennis J. Murphy
(PI), S. M. Robertson (Consultant, on-site survey coordinator).
