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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 25, 1949)
NaftnoBiafl Famnm Saffeity Week? Jusly, SO to THE PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL PAGE FOUR Monday, July 25, 1949 4,300 Killed In Farm Accidents Last Year The farmer fills the bread basket for the nation every year. It is vitally important therefore to the Nation as well as to him self that the farmer be and keep in tip-top working condi tion at all times. But, unfortunately, the farm ers of America are not always in this tip-top condition. Acci dents most of them avoidable are an ever present danger, whittling away great chunks of farm man power and farm in come. According to statistics, "more people are killed in farm accidents than in any other in dustry. Over 4,300 are killed in work accidents each year, and over 9,000.000 farm people are injured. These startling figures come to us from the National Safety Council. More than $150, 000,000 is lost, not taking into account the many indirect costs which invariably accompany in jury and death. It is up to the individual FOR EXPERT Paper Hanging SEE JIM EDEN DIAL 4264 IVE COT COLO FEET ALL THE TIME. THINK I SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR? NO. .SEE YOUR CERTIFIEO i (NNHYnrAitn urn AC IWUK HUU9C HAKM 3 tCONOMICAUY.TOO BAUER Heating & Plumbing Phone 5198 Plattsmouth t farmer to curb his own losses, to conserve the human resour ce!? of agriculture, and so con tribute to the total national economy. July 24 to 30 Farm Safety Week, is designed to give the farmer an understanding of the problem and to suggest spe cific measures toward its solu tion. There are two basic kinds of accidents: (1) Those resulting from mechanical causes such as ungarded machinery, defective and worn rope or wire, tools, and other equipment, holes in platforms and floorings, etc.; and (2) those resulting from personal causes such as care lessness, thoughtlessness, ignor ance, stupidity, recklessness, in subordination, "horseplay," and other such human failings. But all f these accidents can and should be brought under con trol by the intelligent farmer. It is the farmers duty to study his farm in regards to prevent ing accidents. If hazards ex ist, it is his sole duty to take all appropriate steps to elimin ate such and make them harm less. Much unlike the city worker, the farmer lives at his place of work and is exposed to the haz ards of his occupation for long er hours. Safety rules and reg ulations enforced by systems of inspections, fines and arrests for violations protect the city worker. On the farm the rules of safety must be enforced by i the fanner himself, for on the farm there are no inspectors or ' policemen from the outside to "lay down the law." Again we reiterate, the farm er is responsible for his own safety as well as the safety of his helpers and members of Jus family. All together they must make the farm a safe place in which to work and live. The true wealth of our great nation lies not in its natural re sources but in its humari re sources. Therefore, safeguard ing these priceless human re sources is the soundest possible investment for the farmer, for his family, and for his commu nity. The Gutenburg Bible first book printed with movable type, was given the appearance of a hand-copied manuscript by the printers so that their invention would not be discovered. Avoid Accidents All Around The Farm United States Department Of Agriculture Safety Council MACHINERY treads and cogs, fans, belts and bolts can either be friend or foe, accord ing to its master. Service and efficiency, as in other relationships, are largely products of respect, care and in telligent handling. A little thought or a bit less haste may prevent a mangled hand, a crushed leg, a nasty slash. It is worth while to re mind yourself Stop that motor before coup ling the tractor to implement or trailer. Yield not to the temptation or dismount while the machine is moving. Put those brakes on before cranking, and be sure the ma chine is not in gear. Operating on steep slopes? CAUTION is the cue. Yes, and taking chances with mowers, binders and combines does not jibe with common sense. What may happen possi bly means work for the garage or for the hospital. Would it not pay to remember that "Jack be nimble, jack be quick" is a tip for an acrobat but hardly for a sober-minded farmer with a bit of oiling to be done or adjustments to be made in front of a cutter bar. It is far sounder tatics for a farmer to raise the cutter bar before the tractor is attached to the mower, or before the team is hitched. Tractor or team should be stopped before anything steps in front. A driver should ride a harrow or drag only when a sturdy seat is provided. If a team is used, he should walk behind the im plement. A tip on silage cutters: Dang er lurks in ungarded drives; do not relax the watch on them, any more than on the cutters themselves. Threshing machinery can al so be murderous; do not trust it too far. Do not, literally for the life of you, attempt to put a belt on a pulley while rthe thing is going. Repairs and ad justments, no matter how trival, call for stopping operations long enough to make them. The GOAL . ?1 National Safety Week Our GOAL the elimination of 30,000,000 farm hazards. This goal can be reached easily if every farm family accepts responsibility for the elimination of at least one hazard for every member of the family. .. " fit I .. . w.. 7f - Peed them CONKEY'S Y. 0. FEEDS . VS. I Is 1 : vfv; ' to provide CONKEY'S Y. O. FEEDS the kind of feeds that mean the difference between profit and loss. WE CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF POULTRY MEDICINE ' We Do Poultry Culling YEAR 'ROUND POULTRY SERVICE Bar ta Poultry Service "We Serve You Better" 326 MAIN DIAL 6205 d Ever see those heavy clouds of dust stirred up by the sliage cutter or the thresher? In that just are likely to be barbs, spines, smut or other particles irritating to the eyes and org ans of breathing. It is advisible, therefore, to wear goggles and approved respirators. TRACTORS top the tragedy list in the modern farm fac tory. Within their cluthing chain treads, their ordered tan gle of gears and levers and mov ing parts, is the constant threat of injury and death. Tractors, therefore, are to be managed with caution and de liberation. Many of the same rules apply to the safe handling of auto mobiles hold equally with re gard to tractors, e. g., gear shifts in neutral before cranking, the even application of brakes for emergency stops, care in enter ing highways, reliance on gears rather than brakes when going down steep hills or grades. Other pointers: Engage the clutch gently; ' start slowly rather than in jerks. Wait for the tractor to stop before dismounting. Do not fold with belts while pulleys are in motion. Remem ber that overturning is four times as likely when the speed is double reduce the tractor's speed before making a turn or applying brakes. Rough ground and the nearness of tiitches in crease the hazards; slow down. On hillsides, watch with hawk eyes for a hole or ditch that may cause a calamitous upset, j A hot radiator should be re ! filled only with elaborate care, and refueling should never be done while the motor is run ! ning or when it is extremely hot. I When the tractor is hooked up j to implements or other mac chines, the dangers multiply; keep the shield on the power 1 take-off, use an iron hook to , handle the drawbar; keep out j of the space between tractor and drawn implement. Do not take chances of any kind when using j one of those powerful machines! SAWS Rip saws, cross-cut saws, band saws; many and painful are the injuries they in flict. Study every installation with a view to preventing the acci dental starting of motors, the inadverent shoving or crowd ing of the operator by another person. Throw shields and screens and guards around every moving part and every cutting edge, to the full extent practi cable. Do not rush the sawing job; take time to keep fingers and arms and clothing out of the way of those jagged teeth. Small sawmills also entail ele ments of danger, and methods should be invoked to insure their safe operation. TOOLS Proper care of edged tools not only is a mark of effi ciency but a first step toward accident prevention as well. Corn knives, axes, hatchets should be equipped with shields for carrying, where practicable. Chisels, awls, punches, screw drivers belong to portable tool boxes while being carried from place to place not in overalls pockets. And the proper use of hand tools, as well as their care and disposition, will do much to cut down the human-repair bill. Bulletins are available which tell of their use in timbering, wood cutting, brush clearing and building construction. INSECT CONTROL You want to kill INSECTS NOT PEOPLE. Therefore, have a care in the employment of sprays or dust. Protective clothing and respir ators, will help, and will the thorough cleaning and sterili zation of vessels used in mixing and applying. The storage of unused chemicals is fraught with danger. LIVESTOCK Second In num ber only to accidents from ma chinery are the farm fatalities caused by animals. One run-away can nullify years fo training, ruin or injure a good team. A bull, and old : boar or a sow with pigs, even a vicious goat or ram, can cause a serious injury. A few practical hints: Handle young work stock gently but firmly before break ing and during training. A mean horse or mule sometimes behaves with docility when handling by a certain person in whom it has confidence. Speak to an animal before entering the stall; then stroke its neck or back, if it is not to nervous. Keep gear and harness in good repair. Do not run the risk of a break. Ring the nose of the bull; lead him with a leader. Use a safekeeper bull pen developed by the Bureau of Dairy Indus try. Human beings are suscepti ble to many animal diseases; use every precaution in the training of sick animals or dis posal of dead ones. WELLS, CISTERNS, PITS Aside from the important item of health and sanitation, farm wells, cisterns, and pits are fraught with danger. From time of construction, through main tenance, to discontinuance of use, precaution is the watch word. When digging is in progress, the sides of deep openings should be shored up, and the top should be conspicuously marked and railed off to pre vent animals or human beings from falling into them. Many is the person who has been bur ied alive by cave-ins. The cleaning or repair of the well, or initial construction, is not a job for one man working by himself. There should always be a companion at the top, ready to draw up the worker by the rope or to render any other needed assistance. A strong ladder should be provided for use in descending and ascend ing. Tools and materials should be kept well back from the open ing, so that they cannot fall on the person below. Fowl air or gas is frequently to be found in an old well or in a partially filled silo. It is easy to discover the presence of such fowl air or gas by lowering a lighted candle or a lantern at tached to the end of a pole. If the flame is extinguished, or if it. burns feebly, dangerous air is indicated. Ventilation is the answer an answer which can be arrived at by the use of a blower discharging large quan tities of fresh air into the silo at the bottom of the hole through a pipe for 10 minutes before entering. Or if a blower is un available, a generous quanity of fresh unslaked lime, upon which water has just been poured, will sometimes do the job; in a few hours the lime will have ab sorbed most of the carbonic acid gas (black damp). But before the opening is entered, the test by lantern or candle should again be made. Abandoned wells ought to be filled in or safely covered over and every precaution exercised to eliminate dangers to the young or the unwary. Safety and sanitation have a close affinity in the matter cf drinking water. Devices for safe guarding well, cisterns and springs against accident are often devices also for protect ing the quality of the water supply. To the old oaken bucket, the moss-covered bucket, trace many losses of livestock and hu man lives. Uncovered springs, or springs so located as to collect surface run-off, many times are start ers of contagious diseasse. Springs ought to be closed sev eral times a year. Shallow wells located near barnyards or out houses are danger points. Dairy farms, to meet legal standards of sanitation, are usually sub ject to frequent inspection, but on many farms where such standards are not required care lessness creeps in. For the pro tection of the farm family as well as for the protection of the community, watch the water supply! Relocate it if necessary. And throw around it every pro tection against pollution. Re member too, that stagnant waters allowed to stand in un drained pools and in rain bar rels constitute ideal breeding places for malarial mosquitoes. TESTING WATER ANALYS- . IS Where a water supply is questionable it will be desirable i to notify the State Board of I Health in order that adequate tests and water analyses can be made. This is very important. CUTS, BRUISES, INFECTIONS The simplest abrasion may be come infected. None should be regarded as "minor." People have died as the result of a scratch. It pays to stop work, no matter how important, long enough to give attention to every small accident. Hurry, worry, anxiety are cause con tributory to numerous mishaps on the farm the lifting of something heavy, the turning of an ankle or pulling of a liga ment, the slipping of a dull in strument. Here are some tips from those experienced in safety measures: Handle all tools and knives carefully. Store them properly; keep them out of reach of chil dren unable to use them easily. Give the youngsters tools made to their sizes and needs, and teach them how to use them. Dispose promptly of tin cans, razor blades, broken glassware i out of harm's way. Light stor ' age space well, have ample space for everything, and everything ! iq its place. Bend the knees and keep the back straight, when there is a j heavy object' to be lifted. 5 Keep headlights and wind shield clean. 6. Don't drive when you're drowsy. 7. Stop well off the road at night. Sell It Thru Journal Want Atls. Night Drivers Take Big Toll In Lives According to the Highway Ed ucation Board, Washington, D. C, almost three-fifths of all fa tal automobile accidents occur i after dark. The Highway Board j suggests sever, rules for pre- i venting these night accidents: j 1. Slow down after dark. 2. Use the passing beam when meeting other cars. 3. Watch out i for pedestrians. 4. Adjust and repair headlights periodically. Walter H. Harold R. Smith & Lebens Attorneys-at-Law Donat Bids. - Plattsmouth Machine Work Welding Blacksmithin? BABUREK BROS. Machine Shop Dial 296 Plattsmouth Burglars WHETHER from a burglar without or a thief from within, Resi dence Burglary and Theft Insurance will re imburse you for valu ables stolen and dam age caused to your property. INSURE NOW, with Stephen M. Davis Second Floor Plattsmouth State Bank Bldg. Phone 6111 i mm i i tin DOUBLE STAMP DAY til JULY 27 Double Stamps cn All Purchases of $1.00 and Over. SHOP AND SAVE THE GREEN STAMP WAY FELDHOUSEN DRUG "Your Friendly Drug Store" Bring Us Your Prescription Dial 61 17 ....Vi When You Think of S HOE S .. .. . , , Think of X-RAY FITTING This is National Fairinni 1 -VstiW i fit w A - 1 . Ik .jSHftSsj Week .Make These Checkups on Your Farm Fire Hazards .... Do you have an emergency water supply available? (Pond barrels in buildings, or hose attachment to water system). Do you have boxes of sand in buildings to supplement other equipment in fighting oil or gasoline fires? Do you avoid leaving oil-saturated or paint rags lying around? Have you eliminated weeds, brush, old lumber, and other similar fire hazards from around buildings? Are lanterns hung on convenient hooks or wires? Is your gasoline in one of the following ways: out of doors, under ground, or in an isolated building? Are containers marked bright red? Do you stop tractor and truck engines before filling with gasoline? Have you approved type of extinguishers at building en trances and are they checked at regular intervals? Are brooder houses at least 100 feet from other buildings and from each other. Do you avoid burning rubbish on a windy day or near buildings or hay stacks? Do you avoid loose matches in your pockets? Do you watch the temperature of newly stored hay? Electricity .... Are all your circuits equipped with proper size fuses? (Branch fuses should generally not exceed 15 amperes). Do you cut off current when working on an electrical conductor? Do you use moisture proof cords for outside weather conditions; heavy rubber cords for motor driven ap pliances? Are you using an -approved commercial electric fence controller? Are all electrical appliances in proper condition- are they being properly operated? Do you know how totreat electric shock cases? Hand Tools .... Aconhdaiu"1?r handlM S6CUre' handleS in SOOd Do you have a definite place for every tool when not in use? X1UU Do you stroke from behind when whetting tools to avoid cutting the hand if blade moves too far forward? This is the Time to Correct Hazards You May Have on Your Farm ; - J fifes Farm Your INTERNATIONAL Harvester Dealer implement PHONE 267 Chicago Avenue Plattsmouth, Nebraska