The Kentucky Community Partners for Healthy Farming ROPS Project

The Kentucky Community Partners for Healthy Farming ROPS Project : WTP : What's the Problem?

2. WTP - What's the Problem?

Presentation Name	Abbreviation	Comment
What's the Problem? Facts About Kentucky Tractor Overturn Deaths and Their Prevention	WTP	Tips plus 30, 8.5 x 11-inch charts to use as overhead projector transparencies for making presentations

Tips for “What’s the problem? Facts about Kentucky Tractor Overturn Deaths and Their Prevention”

Content

These charts describe farm tractor overturn deaths in Kentucky and their prevention through the installation of Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) and seat belts. Risks for tractor overturn injuries are also presented, including the age and ROPS status of Kentucky’s 186,000 farm tractors. The injury and ROPS data are based on recent injury surveillance and epidemiological studies conducted by researchers at the University of Kentucky. The presentation also explains how ROPS and seat belts save lives and money.

Objectives

This information can help farmers and those who provide advice and services to farmers to become more aware of:

• The high rate of tractor overturns in Kentucky and the injuries and deaths that result
• The small cost of a ROPS compared to the catastrophic costs of an injury or fatality
• How and why ROPS protect tractor operators during overturns
• The availability of ROPS and seat belts from local equipment dealers at or near cost

Intended Audience

• Members of farm families who make financial decisions
• Young and adult farm men and women who drive tractors
• Farm community organizations and groups that provide advice and service to farmers

How to Use These Materials

• Read through the materials and decide if they are useful for you or those with whom you work.
• Use the materials in any of these ways:
  
  • Prepare overhead transparencies of the charts and make presentations to community groups. (Allow a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes if you use all the charts. Allow time for questions and group discussion.)
  • Select a few charts that may be of special interest to a group. Prepare overhead transparencies of these charts and make short 5- or 10-minute presentations to community groups.
  • Make paper copies of some of the charts. Arrange these as poster displays at farm community meetings, farm businesses, fairs, safety day camps, or other gatherings.
  • Select and enlarge a few charts to be used as poster displays at places where farmers gather. Select charts that teach one or two concepts about ROPS.
  • Use the charts as resource materials for FFA students, teachers, extension specialists, and others who are involved in farm safety programs.
    
• Don’t feel that you need to use all of these materials for a single presentation, meeting, or display. Select those portions that suit your purposes.

Materials Needed

• Paper copies of the charts from this section of the notebook
• Overhead projector transparencies of selected charts you wish to present at meetings

Discussion Questions and Teaching Points

1. Why do you think Kentucky farmers die at higher rates from tractor overturns than farmers from other states do?
2. Do you know someone who overturned a tractor and who was injured or killed? (The “My Experiences with Tractor Overturns” activity can be used to gather, tally, and discuss farmers’ experiences with tractor overturns. See the Contents page in this notebook.)
3. What are some reasons farmers don’t get ROPS on their tractors? (See the “Public Service Announcements about Tractor Overturns” section in this Notebook. Many true stories are presented about why farmers don’t get ROPS and what the consequences can be.)
4. Do ROPS cost too much, or are they a good financial investment in the long run? What else do ROPS do for farmers other than save money? Where and when can you get a ROPS for your tractor? (This is a good time to hand out and go over the flyer titled “How to Get a ROPS and Seat Belt on Your Tractor.”)

Ideas, Notes, and Comments
Use this space to write down your ideas and plans for using the materials.

	(WTP Chart) Powerpoint File
	(WTP Chart) PDF File

---