WVATS Quarterly Newsletter
Winter 2004

Please note that phone numbers, addresses, websites and e-mail addresses were accurate at time of publication. This information may not be current.

Articles:   [WVATS]   [Resources]   [Tools]   [State]   [National]   [DBTAC]   [AgrAbility]  

Somber News

Robert Lyons Craig

Out of respect for Robert Craig, we would like to dedicate this issue of the WVATS Newsletter to him and his family.

Robert Lyons Craig, 60, of Marion County, died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, at Fairmont General Hospital following a brief illness.

For 25 years, Bob Craig was employed as a senior lab instrumentation specialist in the physiology department of the Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University. He was on both the Staff Council and the Integrity Research Committee at WVU. In addition to his career, Bob Craig was involved in many disability-related activities in West Virginia. He was an active advocate for both CHIPS and Medicaid and was a founding member of the West Virginia Family Support Council, Family Voices of West Virginia, and West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS). As the parent of a child with special needs, Bob served on the WVATS Advisory Board for eleven years. He served as WVATS Advisory Board chair during 2001 and 2002 and was elected as vice chair for 2003.

Bob Craig will be sorely missed.

Conference to Offer Practical Information for Adults

The Celebrating PATHS to Real Choice Conference will be held on February 24, 2004, at the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia. Celebrating PATHS to Real Choice will provide adults, their families and/or support networks with practical information, resources and contacts they can use immediately to meet their needs in the areas of: Housing, Employment, Health,Community Inclusion, Self-Determination and Transportation.

The conference is structured in a three-tiered fashion to provide participants with a general overview, in-depth group discussion, and one-on-one consultations in each track. Conference attendees can move among tracks, for instance, attending employment sessions in the morning and transportation sessions in the afternoon. In addition, each track will have a packet of resource information that will be available to all conference attendees.

West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS) will staff an assistive technology lab and demonstrate low-tech and high-tech assistive technology options. Individuals from various service agencies will staff information booths and provide consulting services for individuals seeking answers to real life situations.

The conference will be useful to anyone interested in learning about services and supports for adults with disabilities and long-term health care needs. To apply for a scholarship, call Jan Derry at 304-296-6091 or e-mail her at jderry@nwvcil.org To register for the conference, or for more information, call Jeanne Grimm at 1-800-841-8436 or e-mail mharmon@hsc.wvu.edu

ADAPT NEWS: Unlock the Waiting List!!!

By Ken Ervin

The Bureau of Senior Services held a training concerning the Aged and Disabled Waiver on October 25, 2003. Members of ADAPT WV took this opportunity to call attention to the ever-growing Aged and Disabled (AD) Waiver waiting list. We brought attention to this issue by bringing along with us a skeleton in a wheelchair and a sign proclaiming that he was waiting on the AD Waiver. Bobbi Reynolds from the Bureau of Senior Services told the audience that our presence made a strong statement. Other DHHR participants included Steve Mullins and Ruth Ware of Medicaid.

As part of our comments we read the following statement: Unlock the Waiting List!!!

The Bureau of Senior Services has confirmed there are 1,060 people on the current Aged and Disabled Waiver waiting list. People requesting services must now wait a period of six months or longer before receiving services. This leaves 1,060 West Virginia citizens at risk of being forced into nursing homes.

The U.S. Supreme Court found in the Olmstead Decision of 1999 that waiting lists must move at a reasonable pace. People who need community services cannot afford to wait six months. West Virginia taxpayers cannot afford the over three million dollars it will cost if those currently on the waiting list are forced into nursing homes. Those same people can be served for under half the cost in their own communities. The waiting list is not just illegal, it's wrong. Unlock the Waiting List!!!

If you are on the AD Waiver waiting list and need help, we urge you to call ADAPT WV at 1-877-860-1995 or the West Virginia Advocates at 800-950-5250.

As I write this article, there are now over 1,124 people on the waiting list with no end in sight. The disabled community must take action.

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Speak to Me

Some people who are blind or who have macular degeneration may have had the opportunity to learn Braille. But many more people who have low vision or who are recently blind have not learned to use Braille. They rely on products that make noise or talk to them to supply critical information that orients them to the world around them.

Many talking products provide useful information, are easy to use and have a voice that is easy to hear and understand.

Products that talk can be valuable partners around the house. They can guide your activities toward leading a more independent life.

This article was adapted from an article available at www.dynamic-living.com or call 800-940-0650 to learn more about the products mentioned in this article.

In The World of Keyboards, Today's Present is Tomorrow's Future

By Kara Zirkle

There is a whole new world of keyboards for the average user to consider that can open the doors to accessibility a little wider. For example, keyboards are available with either alphabetical or QWERTY key designs. Key-boards are made for one-handed use, for users with low vision, with oversized keys, and with very small keys. Keyboards can be used both as a keyboard and a mouse, and there are Braille keyboards, and onscreen keyboards to name a few. The table below represents only a sample of the keyboards that are available. For more information about keyboards, please feel free to call me at 800-841-8436.

Name/Company of Keyboard Type of Keyboard Where to find Keyboard
Big Keys LX Keyboard by Big Keys Large Key Keyboard, comes in QWERTY or Alphabetical www.bigkeys.com
IntelliKeys Keyboard by IntelliKeys Uses Overlays, so keyboard can be customized www.intellitools.com
ABC Keyboard by ABC Keyboard Company Alphabetical keyboard in the design of a QWERTY www.abckeyboard.com
Braille/Large Print Combination Keyboard Label Kit by LS&S Braille and/or Large Print Stickers to allow any keyboard to become more accessible www.lssgroup.com/
Tash Mini Keyboard by Tash Miniature Keyboard can be used with one hand www.tashinc.com
OnScreen by RJ Cooper Onscreen Keyboard (Software) www.rjcooper.com
SoftType by Orin Onscreen Keyboard (Software) www.orin.com
Clink N Type by Lake Software Onscreen Keyboard (Software) www.lakefolks.org/cnt/

School Acronyms

IEP - Individualized Education Program
IEPT - Individualized Education Program Team
FBA - Functional Behavioral Assessment
BIP - Behavior Intervention Plan
CMP - Crisis Management Plan
ESY - Extended School Year
IDEA - Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
SE/RE - Special Education/Regular Education
REFT - Regular Education: Full Time
REPT - Regular Education: Part Time
OSE - Out-of-School Environment
REE - Regular Education Environment
SEE - Special Education Environment

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The Resource Section

VisionConnection.org

VisionConnection.org provides large type, legible fonts, reverse contrast, and text-only pages for individuals with partial sight. The site is designed specifically to work with screen readers and magnification software. VisionConnection.org provides links to sites that are easy to navigate and resources for information about visual impairment.

disabilitypolicycenter.org

A new disability policy website is available online at www.disabilitypolicycenter.org. The site contains training materials, policy papers and policy briefs prepared by Robert "Bobby" Silverstein. Bobby is the Director of the Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy (CSADP) in Washington, D.C. and former staff director and chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy, chaired by Senator Tom Harkin.

The website is organized by relevant topic areas. The following topics are included:

Dental Clinic Needs Patients

WVU Tech in Montgomery has announced that its Dental Hygiene Clinic has a great need for patients needing cleanings and dental work. There are no eligibility or income requirements, and no fees are charged. Persons interested in free cleanings or other dental services simply need to call and make an appointment. The number for the hygiene program is 304-442-3345.

Jim Mullen Foundation Gives Free Computers

Do you have a disability? Are you in need of a free computer? The Jim Mullen's Foundation specializes in providing computers for individuals with disabilities who need a com-puter. Jim Mullen was a Chicago police officer who was shot seven years ago in the line of duty. Jim is now a wheelchair user and has learned how to use the computer "to open up a world of freedom." The Jim Mullen Foundation is committed to passing this freedom along to others.

For more information and an application, visit the website at www.jimmullen.com/ or write to The Jim Mullen Foundation,350 West Ontario, Suite 4E, Chicago, IL 60610-4040 or call 312-440-4251.

Low Vision Gateway

The Low Vision Gateway was created to be a starting point to access information on the World Wide Web related to the fields of low vision and blindness. Its purpose is not to present one approach or bias, but to provide access to all related information on the Internet. Visit www.lowvision.org/ for more information.

ATA Announces New Service

The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA), a national network of assistive technology resource centers, vendors, community-based organizations, and individuals, has announced the launch of The Hub, a free interactive service that provides quick and efficient data on assistive technology products and services.

The Hub ( www.ataccess.org/hub) is the ATA's method of providing a central exchange for people, both sellers and users of technology tools, to interact and exchange information. Unlike search engines, which often return thousands of irrelevant links, The Hub makes it easy for users to find the right assistive technology and connect with the corresponding provider.

CEC - Council for Exceptional Children

By its own definition, The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is "the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted." Information about conferences, publications, and career options is available at the CEC web site. Discussion forums are also available and include chats on behavior and discipline, lesson swaps, recent articles in CEC journals, and much more. Visit this site at www.cec.sped.org

CAST - Center for Applied Special Technology

CAST calls itself "an educational, not-for-profit organization that uses technology to expand opportunities for all people, especially those with disabilities." The Key to CAST's mission is universal design for learning (UDL). To increase access to the general curriculum by students with disabilities, UDL uses the latest in brain research and media technologies to design curricula that are flexible, and thereby accessible to different learners. Teaching and learning strategies that allow students to access the curricula are reviewed in the section on effective classroom practices. Visit this site at www.cast.org.

Avis Access in WV

Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. has announced the nation's first comprehensive accessibility program for travelers with disabilities. "Avis Access" provides a dedicated 24-hour toll-free number, 888-879-4273 (TTY) for customers with special travel needs. Other specific service offerings for drivers and passengers with disabilities include the following complimentary service options:

To reserve a vehicle equipped with Avis Access optional equipment, customers should call 888-TRY-HARD (888-879-4273).

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Powerful Tools

The UltraMirror

UltraMirror The Ultra Mirror promises the convenience of viewing correctly in multiple directions at the same time. The UltraMirror is an adjustable and portable dual-mirror that provides a true, readable image via a double reflection. A wide variety of both standard and customizable mirrors, mounts and attachments may be adapted to fit practically any situation. Benefits include:

The UltraMirror is useful for anyone who needs to view correct images in more than one direction at the same time.

For more information on the UltraMirror visit www.clearviewinnovations.com or call 866-467-3308.

Xerox Offers Adaptable Copier Software

Xerox's Copier Assistant software adapts existing photocopiers for use by individuals with disabilities. It offers an enlarged onscreen user interface, key-board navigation buttons, JAWS/Narrator, Braille console labels, and foot-switches. For more information, visit www.xerox.com, click on "Products," scroll down to "Software," and click on "Software-Office and end user."

KnockLock

If you can knock on a door, you can operate a KnockLock. The KnockLock is a device capable of "sensing" a special and unique pattern of knocks. The knocklock interfaces to "unlocking" devices such as car power door locks and electric garage doors. KnockLock allows you to unlock or open the door simply by knocking a "special" way.

A vibration sensor senses "knocking" on or near the item or area and sends the "knocking" information to a processor that is capable of recognizing a specific and unique pattern. Once the "unique knocking" is sensed, the KnockLock activates an internal relay that can switch power to a lock mechanism. For more information, visit www.knocklock.com/

Speaking Dictionary

The complete Speaking Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, delivers clear and concise definitions for more than 200,000 words. Features include phonetic spelling correction, an advanced thesaurus with 500,000 synonyms, and expandability for your favorite reference and eBook downloads. Visit www.franklin.com or call 800-266-5626 for more information.

Palmtop Impact

Palmtop Impact

The Palmtop Impact is a small communication device that offers the same features supported by its larger cousins. The Palmtop is based on the Hewlett Packard iPAQ PocketPC. Weighing just over a pound, the Palmtop is suited for mobile users, but it can also serve as a mounted device for users with limited mobility. The Palmtop features an integrated rechargeable speaker. If you need a "dedicated device" communication aid, a Medicare-approved Palmtop Impact-D version is also available. Both versions of the Palmtop offer the full range of Impact features. The Palmtop Impact includes the full Mayer-Johnson symbol set and an expanded 128 MB storage card. Call 800-297-9570 or visit www.enkidu.net/enkidu_palmtop.html for more information.

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State News

Wise Announces Federal Approval for Veteran's Nursing Home Money

Governor Bob Wise has announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approved West Virginia's request for funds to construct a 120-bed nursing home in Clarksburg.

"We were confident this was going to happen, and now it's official," Wise said. "We have been steadily moving forward on this important project and we will continue to do so."

The federal agency approved a grant for roughly $14.9 million. Federal money will cover about 65 percent of the costs for building the nursing home.

The state's share of the project is being financed through the West Virginia Lottery's "Veterans Cash" scratch-off games. The games have generated more than $3 million toward nursing home construction.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 13. The nursing home will be located adjacent to the Louis A. Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center in Clarksburg.

Wise also announced that the federal agency had approved a grant that awards $1.47 million for improvements at the West Virginia State Veterans Home in Barboursville.

Help America Vote Act Grant Awarded

West Virginia Advocates (WVA) was awarded $34,128 from the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), a landmark piece of federal legislation that strengthens and protects the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. With this grant, WVA will expand advocacy efforts to ensure that the state implements and complies with the new law. A primary focus will be on the accessibility of voting precincts for individuals with disabilities, which WVA will assess using pre-election accessibility audits and by monitoring precincts during elections.

WVA also plans to develop and offer voter education programs to individuals with disabilities and their families. The programs will include information about the specific rights of individuals with disabilities under HAVA, as well as the responsibilities of state and local election officials.

For more information about WVA or HAVA, call 1-800-950-5250.

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National News

Access Loans Available from DCU

Members of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) can join the Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) to take advantage of this new loan. Access loans are now available for any product, device, or building modification designed to assist someone with a disability. Borrow from $1,500 to $25,000 or more for up to 72 months with no down payment required. Qualified purchases include, but are not limited to:

DCU also makes mobility vehicle loans available. For more information and an application call 800-328-8797 (800-395-5146 TTY) or visit DCU's website at www.dcu.org

Assistive Technology Fund

The Association of Blind Citizens has established the Assistive Technology Fund. The Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) will provide funds to cover 50% of the retail price of adaptive devices or software. The ABC Board of Directors believes this program will allow individuals who are blind and visually impaired access to technology products that have a significant impact on improving employment opportunities, increasing the level of independence and enhancing the recipients' overall quality of life.

The products covered by this program must retail for a minimum of $200 and a maximum retail price of $6,000. Persons eligible to apply for assistance must have a family income of less than $50,000 and cash assets of less than $20,000. Applications are reviewed by the Assistive Technology Committee (ATC) and recommendations submitted for board approval.

For more information or to fill out an application, contact atf@assocofblindcitizens.org

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WV DBTAC News

Low-and No-Cost Computer Access Technology

by Dan Comden, DO-IT Staff

By taking advantage of built-in features of common operating systems and software, as well as using free versions of some software, providing access for computer users with disabilities may not be as expensive as you think!

Keyboard/Mouse Access

Windows 95 and Newer
In the Accessibility Options Control Panel:

Apple OS 9 and Older
The Easy Access Control Panel may need to be installed. Features similar to the Windows options described above can be found there.

Apple OS X
Use the Universal Access System Preferences tool to enable the features listed above. The Keyboard System Preferences module enables increased keyboard access to programs and the operating system.

Increase Visibility

Reducing the screen resolution via the Display Control Panel may be sufficient for someone with low vision.

Windows 98 and Newer
In the Accessibility Options Control Panel:

Apple OS 9 and Older
The CloseView Control Panel provides rudimentary enlargement and inverse colors.

Apple OS X
The Universal Access System Preferences Tool allows enlargement and color switching with the Zoom tool

Text to Speech

ReadPlease ( www.readplease.com) is a free text-to-speech reader that will speak items copied from the Clipboard for Windows-based computers

Windows 2000 and Newer
The Narrator tool is accessed via the Accessibility Wizard (WindowsKey + U)

Apple OS 9 and Older
The SimpleText editor has the ability to speak highlighted text. Cut and paste text from other applications to have it spoken. Many other programs may have the option to speak selected text as well via the Edit menu.

Apple OS X
Within the Speech System Preferences module is a control to turn on text-to-speech. This will also announce some dialog boxes and any selected test. You can define the key to activate this feature as well. You can enable the system to speak any text the mouse goes over in this control, as well as have it announce errors or system popups.

On-Line Tutorials on Accessible Information Technology

The U.S. Access Board has sponsored development of a series of interactive web-based tutorials on various sections of its standards, issued under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, for information technology. The series also includes a tutorial on planning accessible conferences and meetings, which addresses other issues of accessibility, such as facility access for wheelchair users, working with interpreters, preparing alternate format materials, and more. On-line courses include:

Visit www.section508.gov and click on the link to 508 Training, then the link to REGISTER, where you will need to enter a user name and password to access the tutorials in the 508 Universe. Once you have entered the system, look for the 508 Training Courses under the heading, My 508 Universe.

General TTY Etiquette and Tips for New TTY Users

Who invented the TTY?
In 1963, Robert H. Weitbrecht developed an acoustic coupler that made it possible to connect the telephone to a TTY in order to make phone calls.

What is the proper term to use when noting TTY numbers - is it TTD, TT, or TTY and why?
The proper notation is TTY (teletypewriter) and it doesn't matter whether you are using an older model (teletypewriter) or the newer model (telecommunication device for the deaf'- abbreviated as TDD). TTY is the preferred term and is used by most deaf and hard of hearing users because the term includes hearing users. TDD implies that only people who are deaf use the device when in fact there are also hearing users.

How many rings should I allow when calling people who are deaf or hard of hearing?
You should let the phone ring 10 or more times to allow the deaf or hard of hearing person enough time to see the light flashing on the TTY and respond.

How do I know when I am getting a TTY call?
When you pick up the phone and hear nothing or a series of electronic beeps, assume that this may be a TTY call and put the phone on the TTY coupler (usually the mouthpiece goes into the left acoustic coupler) and make sure it fits into the acoustic cups. Turn on the on/off switch.

What do I do after I put the phone on the TTY?
Type a short message identifying yourself. It is considered polite to type your name immediately after you answer a TTY call.

What do GA, SK and HD stand for?
GA is an abbreviation for "go ahead" and is a turn taking signal for the other person to start typing.
SK is an abbreviation for "stop keying" and a signal that you are done with the call and ready to sign off.
HD is an abbreviation for "hold."

Can I interrupt the person without getting the GA signal?
In general, no, wait until the other person types GA. If you can't read the message, have an emergency or must leave immediately, it is okay to interrupt and give a brief explanation.

What do I do when I make a typing error?
Just type XXX after the error and retype. It's too time consuming to use the backspace key to correct your errors. An error may not need to be corrected if it is easily understood.

TTY Abbreviation List

ABT - About
ANS - Answer
ASST - Assistant
BIZ - Business
CA - Communication Assistant
CC - Closed Captioned
CD - Could
CHK - Check
CMTY-- Community
CN - Can
CTR - Center
CUL - See you later
GA - Go ahead
GA to SK - Go ahead if you have more to say but I'm finished
GOVT' - Government
HAND - Have a nice day
HD - Hold
MIN - Minute
MTG - Meeting
N - And
OFC - Office
PRGM - Program

For additional information visit http://wally.rit.edu/depts/ref/research/deaf/ttyuse.html

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West Virginia Agrability

Do you belong to an organization whose members might want to know more about West Virginia AgrAbility? Please call to arrange an AgrAbility presentation. We would like to share information with your organization about the AgrAbility Project and how it helps farmers and their families.

1-800-841-8436 or assist@sunnyelkins.com

Lack of farm safety rules reaping a toll

Dominion Post, Nov. 9, 2003 Employment and Technology Section

On-the-job death rates in agriculture have remained stubbornly high for generations, even as the casualty counts have plunged in mining, construction and other risky industries. The rigorous safety rules and government inspections credited with reducing the toll elsewhere in the economy play almost no role on the farm, and that's just how farmers want it.

Frustrated researchers call the phenomenon "the farm safety-risk paradox," a fancy name for the fact that farmers understand the poor odds they face but willingly take their chances. They resolutely resist measures that would save lives, such as requiring roll bars on older tractors.

"It's just awful tough to force it," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., whose district takes in a swath of farm country.

Fatalism, self-reliance and economic pressure combine to make injury and death as much a part of agriculture as seed and feed. The prospect of additional government regulation threatens deeply held values far more than entanglement in machinery, assault by livestock and other common mishaps long regarded as an inescapable part of rural life.

"So much of the culture involves risk-taking and the independence to make their own decisions about their own operations," said Dennis J. Murphy, a professor of agricultural engineering at Penn State University, who grew up near Waggoner. "The very first memory they have is doing things the way their dad did or their grandfather did. Farmers tend to accept the hazards."

No single occupational hazard comes close to the dangers involving tractors, according to a government-funded research effort that has uncovered alarming new data pinpointing the perils in America's heartland.

Between 1992 and 2000, tractor accidents claimed the lives of 1,894 farmers, or 37 percent of all those who died on the job during that period. Rollovers account for more accidental deaths than any other single cause, and no one expects the numbers to fall sharply anytime soon.

The population of U.S. farmers is graying rapidly, resulting in slower reaction times and reduced capacity to heal. Because death rates rise dramatically with age, an increasing proportion of farmers will face their highest risk in years to come.

Fatigue becomes a big factor during fall harvest and spring planting, especially as the average acreage of a working farm expands, and farmers travel farther from field to field. As farm tractors creep along on roadways as vehicles whiz by, the potential increases for accidents.

In the most common fatal accident, a farmer in his 60s or 70s riding an older-model tractor alone at the end of a long day rolls the machine over sideways down a hill or embankment. Even if he doesn't die immediately, help is usually far away.

Yet although the public investment in research has advanced the understanding of agricultural health and safety, it has done nothing to reduce the death rate, Penn State's Murphy concludes in a report published this year.

Indeed, the roughly $30 million earmarked annually for farm safety amounts to relatively little. The federal government spends as much as 200 times more per miner than it does per farmer, mostly on inspection and enforcement programs.

Only farms with more than 10 employees are subject to similar regimens. The vast majority of Midwest operations fall under the "small-farm exemption" to occupational safety enforcement - granted at the behest of agriculture lobbyists and farm-state politicians in the 1970s.

With so little leverage, farm-safety researchers have resorted to communicating safety messages through churches, banks and other rural institutions. Their studies suggest that influencing community leaders works better at changing behavior than safety education aimed directly at everyday farmers, who tune it out.

Even cash incentives to install tractor roll bars or replace equipment shields don't work as well as "peer pressure," said John R. Myers, a NIOSH statistician responsible for farm data.

Although the decline is less pronounced than for other dangerous industries, farm death rates have fallen over the past 40 years, probably because of technological advancements more than behavioral changes among typical farmers, the safety experts say.

In the mid-1980s, tractor manufacturers made rollover protection standard on their new vehicles. However, tractors last for decades, and farmers sometimes remove the roll bars so the big machines will fit in tight spaces. Only about half of tractors operating on America's farms have the steel frames enclosing the driver's seat that boost survival rates in rollovers.

Outside the United States, some countries have made different choices. Simple regulations covering farm equipment, such as requiring closed cabs on tractors, are common across Europe and the United Kingdom. In Australia, with a few exceptions, anyone operating a modern tractor without rollover protection faces a four-figure fine.

Even on U.S. farms, certain regulations cover pesticide applications because, unlike workplace safety, those rules are deemed necessary to protect a wider public.

Farm Tractor Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS)

Each year tractor rollover accidents continue to be the single leading cause of farm-related fatalities in many states. Having a rollover protective structure (ROPS) is the only sure way to protect the operator in case of a rollover.

Be sure your tractor has ROPS. A cab with ROPS has a label certifying that it meets ROPS standards. Many older tractors do not have a ROPS structure built into the framework. There are ROPS retrofits available for many tractors that cost between $300 and $600 and these devices can save a farmer's life.

Farmers should not attempt to build their own ROPS as there are many variables in mounting and metal strength involved. ROPS are certified as a guarantee that the device will absorb energy and withstand tremendous force to protect the tractor operator.

ROPS are not designed to prevent rollovers; they are designed to protect the operator in the event of a rollover. Tractor operators should still wear a seatbelt and practice caution while operating the tractor.

Information obtained from the University of Wisconsin Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, Madison.

Tractor-related Incidents Account for 37 Deaths in W.Va. from 1997 to 2002

Dominion Post November 3, 2003 Local News

A total of 37 West Virginia farmers died in tractor-related incidents between 1997 and 2002. Many of these deaths were the result of tractor rollovers and overturns, according to research conducted by the WVU Center for Rural Emergency Medicine's Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program.

The deaths prompted statewide distribution of a survey containing questions on tractor safety practices among farmers. The results of nearly 3,000 surveys show that the average age of a tractor is more than 22 years, and older tractors are not equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS). A ROPS is a structural frame designed to protect the driver in the event of a rollover. They are standard on newer tractors and available for older ones.

"The presence of a ROPS on a tractor can reduce the chance of sustaining injury in the event of a rollover," FACE Program Coordinator, Wayne Lundstrom said. "Farmers must also use a safety belt for full protection."

Farmers cited expense, availability and unlikelihood of a rollover as reasons they avoid outfitting their older tractors with a ROPS. However, more than 40 percent of all farmers surveyed reported a close call with a rollover.

"There are no known rollover fatalities in the state while the operator was wearing a seatbelt in a ROPS-equipped tractor," Lundstrom said.

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WVATS Newsletter

Editors: Marie Smith and Jamie Hayhurst jhayhurst@hsc.wvu.edu

Center for Excellence in Disabilities at West Virginia University Publications

Editorial Committee: Jeanne Grimm, Monica Andis, Laura Werner, Jeff Werner, Lori Risk

Design and Layout: Kim Palumbo

All printed materials produced by WVATS are available in Braille, electronic format, cassette tape and large print.

This publication was supported by funds from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education, grant number H224a20011. The lead agency is the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services. Contents of the newsletter are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the U.S. Department of Education or the Center for Excellence in Disabilities.

Web site address: www.cedwvu.org/programs/wvats/

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