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Farm employers throughout
California have the opportunity to obtain free training and support
materials that will help to improve farm worker motor vehicle safety
associated with their operations.
Fresno State’s Center for Agricultural Business (CAB) is offering the
support as part of its continuing Farm Worker Motor Vehicle Safe Driving
Education Program. The purpose of the program is to reduce the number of
motor vehicle crashes, fatalities and injuries suffered by farm workers
and other rural residents. Funding for the project has been provided by
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Susan Harwood
Training Grant Program.
“We asked the agricultural industry about priority issues. Growers and
supervisors expressed interest in a program like this,” said Kimberly
Naffziger, program development specialist for CAB and project director
of the driving education effort.
To help educate drivers on safe driving habits, the CAB team has
developed a multi-phase program that offers specialized training and
materials at no charge, through September 2008, Naffziger said.
Training will include on-farm sessions for workers. A bilingual
(Spanish) CAB program trainer will travel to a grower’s site to discuss
motor vehicle topics such as traffic signs, railroad safety, traffic
rules and regulations, safe driving behavior, and farm equipment driving
or towing.
“We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from both workers
as well as employers who have indicated that this training is extremely
important,” Naffziger said.
Another phase of the program will offer “train-the-trainer” sessions.
These will be held at selected locations around the state several times
during the late spring and summer. At these sessions, CAB program
specialists will train managers and supervisors on how to conduct their
own training using the free materials. The materials include a manual, a
PowerPoint presentation for the trainer, two safety videos and a flip
chart.
While the program is offered free of charge, the materials and trainers
are available in limited amounts and for limited times, so scheduling
and distribution will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition to OSHA, the California Highway Patrol’s Central Division
and the federal Railroad Administration provided support for the
project. For more information or to arrange for materials or training,
contact the CAB office at 559.278.4405.
(Copy by Steve Olson of the
California Agricultural Technology Institute at Fresno State.)
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