If the weather has you down and you can’t get into the field, it might be a good time to catch up on some educational opportunities. eLearning offers a lot of opportunities to learn something new without leaving the house. I did both pet first aid and CPR and human first aid and CPR via an eLearning module offered by the Red Cross.

The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) recently launched a new online safety program for farmers. As it says: “While fatalities in farming activities have declined over the last few years, the ultimate goal is to eliminate farm-related accidents altogether.

“That’s the vision of Ohio Farm Bureau’s Cultivating Safe Farm Operations eLearning Safety Series, a new, interactive, engaging, and accessible online education program developed for a broad audience of farmers, workers, and on-farm youth to make real changes in their farm safety habits.”

I decided to check out the free program. You first have to create an account with the Farm Bureau University platform. At first I thought this step was really easy – then I realized I was not doing the course I thought I was. The press release I got was for a three-module learning series, and what I found had 10.

It turns out reading the instructions is important, as you have to put in the code “OFBF” and I missed that part the first time around. I could not quickly find a way to fix this, so I ended up creating a second account. Once I chose the right code, I got to the correct learning area.

There are three safety modules: Ag Safety 101; Tractor and Roadway Safety, and Equipment and Machinery Safety. Each should take you between 30-40 minutes to complete.

If you live in Ohio, completing the three satisfies the annual Workers Compensation Group Rating Program safety training requirement for OFBF members who are participants. There is a test at the end of each module, and you have to score 80 percent or higher to pass it.

I decided to do the Tractor and Roadway Safety module. It was well done; the videos were great-quality and the voiceover was clean and easy to understand. Some online learning modules require a lot of experimentation to figure out how to move around, but this one had clear instructions and was extremely easy to navigate.

In 1976 all new tractors were to have ROPS (rollover protective structures); however, there were already 5 million tractors in existence. As of 2011 more than 51 percent of tractors in use did not have ROPS. This is important, because tractor rollovers are the leading cause of ag-related fatalities. A ROPS system can help protect the driver in the event of a rollover.

The tractors we had when I was growing up were made well before 1976, and they definitely did not have ROPS. Nor did they have seatbelts. If you are driving equipment with ROPS you need to wear your seatbelt, but if you don’t have ROPS you aren’t supposed to wear your seatbelt – according to the presentation.

A ROPS system can cost anywhere between $1,000-$14,000 to install, but since you can’t put a price on your life, any amount should be an amount you can afford.

Common sense can help you avoid a rollover. Don’t have a load that tips the center of gravity, such as a front-end loader that is up high with a heavy load on it. Don’t turn corners too fast, and be careful when driving near drop-offs.

Running over someone with the tractor is the second-leading cause of farm accidents, according to the course. Trying to cut corners or hurry is often the cause of these accidents. Don’t circumvent safety features of your tractor and don’t let extra people ride on the tractor, as if they fall off, you are more likely to run over them.

I know I rode on the fender above the wheels on our tractor numerous times while Dad drove. I also rode on the hitch. We’ve most likely all done this, but there are certainly risks associated it.

Backing up is another big safety risk. I was helping hitch a wagon once and wasn’t ready when the tractor backed up, and my thumb was between the tractor and the wagon hitch. That was a painful lesson. This was totally my fault, but the boy driving the tractor got in trouble.

This was one of my classmates whose family had the next farm over and we were doing something together; I just can’t remember exactly what it was. But, I have always felt guilty over it. (If you are reading, Danny O., I am sorry you got in trouble.)

Having the proper safety features on your farm vehicle, such as Slow-Moving Vehicle symbols and proper turn signals, are important. If you don’t have turn signals, then know the three hand signals for Stop, Right, and Left. I grew up knowing these, but I wonder how many non-farm people know them today.

If the vehicle behind you doesn’t know the hand signal for a right turn, then they are likely to pass on the right while you are turning. Vehicles passing a turning piece of farm equipment are the leading cause of road accidents, so be aware.

The test at the end is “true” or “false” questions. I missed one because I thought it was a trick question. But that still gave me a 90 percent, so I passed that section.

Anytime you can easily take advantage of a free educational tool, you should go for it. Even if the information is something you already know, a review is always important. To check out the course, go to www.ofbf.org/agsafety