COLUMBUS, Ohio — Just about anything can be found online. Now, add farm safety, health information and resources to that list. A new farm-related educational resource that offers answers to hundreds of farm safety and health questions with information from land grant universities is available through eXtension. The site offers assistance to everyone, from beginning farmers to veteran growers.

eXtension (pronounced “E-extension”) is a national Internet-based educational network and partnership of 74 universities, including The Ohio State University, that provides access to objective, research-based information and education. The new section is called “Community of Practice, Farm and Ranch eXtension for Safety and Health,” or FReSH.

FReSH, found at www.extension.org/ farm_safety_and_health has answers and tips on issues ranging from grain bin entrapments to safe beef cattle handling, said Dee Jepsen, OSU extension state safety leader.

“This online resource will serve many groups, including educators, injury outreach specialists and farm workers, with valuable information that can be accessed anytime,” Jepsen said. “And in an agricultural community where business is done all day, every day, there is never a down time for safety and health information.

“Agriculture is a dangerous industry. This online resource is now available to serve hard-working men, women and families with up-to-date safety and health materials to protect the most valuable assets: the farm workers.

“Besides providing answers to frequently asked farm safety questions, this site also contains relevant articles on a variety of safety and health topics, and a calendar of farm safety events,” Jepsen added.

Some of the articles that appear on the site include:

•Safety recommendations when baling and handling big round bales

•Confined-space hazards and gas monitoring of manure pit gases

•Beef cattle handling safety

•ATV safety

•Hearing loss and protection for agricultural producers

•Grain bin entrapments from flowing grains

•Dangers of silo gases

•Livestock trailer safety

In addition, the site provides recent articles pertaining to safety, answers to farm safety questions from a panel of experts and news items of upcoming farm safety events.

“We are nearing our peak season for the frequency and severity of farm-related injuries,” Jepsen said. “This is great timing for eXtension to support the upcoming summer season with an ounce of prevention.”

Support for the farm safety and health content on the website comes from a team of educators, including Linda Fetzer, Dennis Murphy and Aaron Yoder of Pennsylvania State University; Richard Brozowski, University of Maine; Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri; Jepsen; Carol Jones, Oklahoma State University; Michael Pate, Utah State University; Charles Schwab, Iowa State University; and John Myers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.