Name
Workshop: Integrating Safety into College Ag Class: Train-the-Trainer Workshop
Date & Time
Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 2:15 PM - 3:45 PM
OP McCubbins Jesse Morrison
Description
Young adults (ages 18-25) working in agriculture are four times more likely to experience an injury than their peers in other industries, yet many have limited formal safety training. The Ag Health and Safety Alliance™ (AHSA) has successfully reached over 8,000 young adults through its Gear Up for Ag Health and Safety™ student program. Collegiate and high school agricultural programs are a critical, yet often overlooked, opportunity to instill core safety habits, including those related to complex topics such as ATV/UTV safety and the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Ag Educators can effectively integrate safety into their ongoing curricula with minimal adjustments. This 1.5-hour Gear Up for Ag Health and Safety™ - Educators workshop at the NACTA conference will utilize a train-the-trainer model to equip collegiate agricultural instructors with advanced safety knowledge. The session will be delivered by AHSA staff with over 30 years of agricultural safety experience. Instructors will gain a heightened understanding of critical agricultural safety principles, particularly the correct selection, donning, doffing, cleaning, and storage of various types of PPE used on farms (e.g., respirators, chemical gloves, hearing protection). The workshop will feature an interactive Prezi lecture and problem-solving scenarios, focusing on core topics such as livestock safety, eye safety, hearing conservation, pesticides, and respiratory hazards. Instructors will be invited to share best practices for classroom safety and highlight specific student successes. All will be given access to several online materials (videos, posters, handouts) to incorporate into their own classrooms. Instructors will receive additional PPE as part of demonstration activities. Ag instructors are critical mentors when it comes to health and safety because they can instill safe habits early on and foster a new generation in agriculture that could ultimately reduce agricultural illnesses and injuries.
Session Type
Workshop