JA:2021-24. Telling the Story – Using Storytelling to Disseminate Agricultural Safety and Health Messaging

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: Narrative is perhaps the most basic mode of human interaction and a fundamental way of delivering knowledge. Narratives influence attitudes and change behaviors. NIOSH-funded agricultural safety and health centers including the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH), the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH), the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH), and the National Farm Medicine Center are collaborating on a translation activity to convey the story of agricultural safety. While statistics and numbers are important to identify injury trends and emerging issues related to workplace health and safety, the Telling the Story Project (TTS) takes a closer look, creating injury prevention messages that highlight personal stories based on first-hand experiences. Methods: Research indicates that farmers are more open to safety messages after reading about a traumatic farm incident, and farmers generally consider other farmers and agricultural publications to be trusted sources of information. Telling the Story Project provides a platform for agricultural workers, and those impacted by fatal and non-fatal agricultural workplace injuries (workers, family, and community members), to share their stories. Told in their own words, these experiences teach about what went wrong and how to prevent or avoid similar incidents. Results: A website was created and serves as a platform for the personal narratives www.tellingthestoryproject.org. A monthly rural radio program has emerged from this project as another means to deliver this content effectively. Links to safety and health information provide resources for those visiting the website. Evaluation of stakeholder impact is ongoing. Practical Application: To further the reach of these stories, teachers’ guides have been created as additions to the curriculum for FFA and agricultural safety instructors.