UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Adults wishing to teach the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program to youth can benefit from an online course offered by Penn State Extension.
The training will help participants become certified instructors of the program, which is for 14- and 15-year-olds seeking employment in production agriculture. These youth must comply with the training requirements of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Hazardous Occupations Order in Agriculture to become employed.
“National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program Instructor Training,” offered by Penn State Extension’s Agricultural Safety and Health team, is an online, self-paced course. Participants learn to organize and communicate safety information and procedures; to identify minimum core content areas; to conduct written, operating-skills and driving tests that youth are required to complete; and to understand the Labor Department's agriculture Hazardous Occupation Orders.
Farming presents a hazardous work environment. Course organizers note that youth are especially at risk for severe injuries and fatalities.
Effective instructors should be familiar with agricultural production practices, knowledgeable about tractors and machinery, and have a general awareness of agricultural hazards, according to organizers.
Peggy Newel, program coordinator, pointed out that youth in the program receive training on safety basics, agricultural hazards, tractor hazards, operations, maintenance, connecting and using implements with the tractor, and other topics.
The response from past participants has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Newel. She said students were grateful for the hands-on equipment training, instruction on safety practices and the increased confidence that resulted from taking the course.
The program was created in 2001 and has seen immense growth over the years, Newel noted. Not only has the program expanded nationally — including to Alaska and Hawaii — but internationally to Canada and Australia as well.
“It is one of the most thorough tractor-safety programs out there,” Newel said. “The student manual is an enormous vessel of information.”
In addition to youth, Newel said the program has attracted other populations, such as state transportation centers, co-ops, safety coordinators, ag training centers, new and beginning farmers, and prison systems.
Upon successful completion of the program, youth receive a certificate from the Department of Labor. Adults interested in teaching the program to youth should note that an extension educator or vocational agriculture instructor must be present during testing and must sign off on the training as the certifying authority. The purpose of the certifying authority is to review and verify instructional content and delivery, testing procedures, and students’ performance.
The registration fee for the course is $39. More information can be found on the Penn State Extension website.
Funding from the Nationwide Insurance Endowment for Ag Safety and Health partially supported the development and preparation of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program manual.