Tractor Safety classes to be offered

For the Business Farmer
Posted 5/19/17

Nebraska Extension Tractor Safety & Hazardous Occupations Courses will be offered at Gering, Gordon and Valentine in June, in addition to six other Nebraska locations. Teens 14 or 15 years of age who will work on a farm should plan to attend.

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Tractor Safety classes to be offered

Posted

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. – Nebraska Extension Tractor Safety & Hazardous Occupations Courses will be offered at Gering, Gordon and Valentine in June, in addition to six other Nebraska locations. Teens 14 or 15 years of age who will work on a farm should plan to attend.
The Gering class is scheduled for June 15-16 at Legacy of the Plains Museum. To register, call the Scottsbluff Extension Office at 308-632-1480.
The Valentine class will take place June 6-7 at the Fairgrounds. To register call Cherry County Extension at 402-376-1850.
The Gordon class is scheduled for June 22 at the Fairgrounds. To register, call Sheridan County Extension at 308-327-2312.

Federal law prohibits youth younger than 16 years of age from working on a farm for anyone other than parents or legal guardians. Certification received through this course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with specific mechanized equipment.
The most common cause of agricultural-related death in Nebraska is overturned tractors and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Extensive training on Tractor and ATV safety occurs during in-class lessons with hands-on activities. Instilling an attitude of ‘safety first’ and respect for agricultural equipment are primary goals of the course.
The course consists of two days of instruction plus homework assignments. The first day of classroom instruction includes hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test.  Students are required to pass the test before taking the driving test on day two. Classroom instruction will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program. Students will complete homework assignments that will be due on day two. The second day will include a driving test, equipment operation, and ATV safety lessons. To receive certification, students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a
standardized course.
For the Gordon location, class participants will be able to take online course instruction to replace the first day of the two-day course. Students complete this at their convenience before attending the driving component of the course on-site.
On-site classes begin at 8 a.m. and end times will vary, depending on the number of participants.
Participants must submit registration forms to the location they will attend at least one week before the course.  The registration form is available online:  kearney.unl.edu.
Cost of the course is $60, which includes educational materials, instruction, supplies, and lunches. For more information, contact the Extension Office of the location where student will attend.