Gender and occupational health and safety requirements among Saskatchewan farm adolescents

Children on farms perform hazardous work that exposes them to risks for injury. Hazards include operation of heavy machinery, working with limited supervision, working at heights, and performing work prohibited by law in other industries. Incidence rates and patterns of injury are known to differ between boys and girls on farms. Farm adherence to occupational health and safety practices, and whether such practices vary by gender, has received limited study in this occupational setting. The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between gender and work practices, and required occupational health and safety practices, within a sample of adolescent children age 12 to 18 years living on Saskatchewan farms. A cross-sectional study was performed. Measures were obtained by self-report. We compared requirements for boys and girls on the following: (1) use of personal protective equipment (PPE), (2) conduct of specific hazardous jobs, (3) training and supervision for equipment work, and (4) training and supervision for large animal work. A total of 434 children were identified, and 297 (68%) met the eligibility criteria. Of these, 170 were boys (57%) with a mean age of 14.5 years (SD 1.9). Occupational health and safety requirements varied by gender; girls were less likely to be required to use PPE (adjusted OR 2.39; 95% CI: 1.16, 4.94). There was no evidence of an association between gender and the conduct of hazardous work. Gender patterns in required training and supervision for work suggested disadvantages for girls, but were not significant. Adolescent girls and boys both performed hazardous jobs on the farm. Girls were as likely to conduct hazardous jobs but not to be required to use PPE. This gender disparity may indicate a need for a public health approach that recognizes gender as a determinant of work assignment and of health and safety practices on farms.     

Case reports of on-site investigations of auger-related farm injuries

Previous reports have indicated that injuries involving augers (screw conveyors) are a serious problem in agriculture, but to date on-site engineering inspections linking injuries to mechanical and procedural aspects have not been available. This article details four events involving injuries as the result of being entangled in auger flighting. In each report, the circumstances surrounding the injury event are outlined, and the machinery involved is evaluated in terms of its compliance with current safety standards. In three of the four instances, the machinery did not conform to current guarding standards or to safety sign standards. In these three cases, injuries were preventable with improved guarding according to ASAE Standards. In the other case, the machine complied with ASAE Standards, but the injury could have been prevented with improved guarding of the auger flighting.     

Fatal on-farm injuries among youth 16 to 19 years of age: 1982-1994

Data from the Vital Statistics Mortality (VSM) public use file and the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance systems were used to describe fatal injuries among youth 16-19 years of age in the United States that occurred on farms for the years 1982 through 1994. The VSM captures all deaths in the United States, while the NTOF only captures occupational injury deaths. There were 550 total on-farm fatalities to youth 16-19 years of age in the VSM, and 221 occupational on-farm deaths from the NTOF for the same age group. These numbers suggest that 40% of the on-farm deaths were occupational. It was found that the proportions of deaths attributable to work increased with age. Fatality rates for on-farm nonoccupational deaths decreased slightly during the time period (from 8.4 deaths/100,000 for 1982-1985 to 6.8 deaths/100,000 for 1991-1994), while on-farm occupational fatality rates dropped dramatically (12.0 deaths/100,000 for 1982-1985 down to 4.9 deaths/100,000 for 1991-1994). The leading causes of death for on-farm occupational fatalities were machinery (54%) and electrical current (20%). The most common causes of on-farm fatalities that were nonoccupational were drowning (38.9%) and firearms (28.6%). For the years 1991 through 1994, drowning and firearms accounted for approximately the same number of on-farm deaths as machinery. Nonoccupational risks are a concern for youth 16-19 years of age on the farm.     

移栽秧龄对机插杂交稻产量及群体质量的影响

为探明中、迟熟型杂交稻品种在不同机插秧龄条件下的适应性及品种间生长发育及产量的差异,研究了不同移栽秧龄对机插中、迟熟杂交稻产量及群体质量的影响。结果表明,21 d适龄移栽杂交稻的产量、各生育时期的群体茎蘖数、分蘖成穗率、叶面积指数、抽穗后剑叶光合、群体透光、抽穗期的有效叶面积、高效叶面积、有效叶面积率以及高效叶面积率显著大于迟栽处理。品种选择上,迟熟杂交稻品种无论在产量还是在各群体指标方面均优于中熟品种,尤其是迟熟型中F优498分蘖力中等,株型好,这些特征改善了机插条件下杂交稻群体光合生产和通风透光状况,穗型大且穗粒数较多,茎蘖成穗率较高,秧龄弹性较大,可适当延长秧龄到28 d也能保持较高产量。中熟型中辐优838虽然穗数多,但其穗粒数限制了产量的增加,且其分蘖力过强,导致无效分蘖过多,对机插产量的发挥造成一定影响。研究结果为生产中选择机插适栽秧龄及高产杂交稻品种提供参考。     

Frequency and severity of injuries to operators during overturns of farm tractors

Previous estimates of operator death from farm tractor overturn events range from 0.03 to 0.68. This study provided population-based estimates of the denominator of total farm tractor overturns and the frequency of six classes of overturn injury outcomes for tractors with and without rollover protective structures (ROPS). A 40-item telephone survey collected information from a random sample of 6,063 (8.0%) Kentucky farms about each farm's most recent overturn. A total of 551 (9.1%) farms reported overturns, and 5,512 (90.1%) reported no overturns. Injury outcomes for 443 overturns of non-ROPS tractors and 89 ROPS tractors were distributed as follows: no or minor injury (non-ROPS: 70.43%; ROPS: 82.02%), outpatient treatment (non-ROPS: 21.90%; ROPS: 9.00%), hospital admission (non-ROPS: 15.35%; ROPS: 3.37%), temporary disability (non-ROPS: 13.54%; ROPS: 14.61%), permanent disability (non-ROPS: 3.16%; ROPS: 0.00%), and death (non-ROPS: 5.42%; ROPS: 1.12%). (Percents total to more than 100 because some operators treated as outpatients were subsequently hospitalized, disabled, or died.) The observed 0.054 probability of death from overturn of non-ROPS tractors in this sample was corrected for the proportion of farms that went out of business prior to the survey and thus were excluded from the sampling frame. The adjusted 0.08 probability of death from overturn of a non-ROPS tractor is five times smaller than the NIOSH estimate of 0.40. The discrepancy lies in the much larger denominator of all non-fatal and fatal overturns than assumed previously.     

Tractor driving among kentucky farm youth: results from the farm family health and hazard surveillance project

This article documents the extent of children's involvement in tractor operations among a representative sample of Kentucky children living and working on family farms. Specifically, we describe children's exposures to tractor-related work activities, profile their use of the tractor (number of days worked), and assess compliance with generally recommended safety measures, such as using tractors equipped with ROPS (rollover protective structures), avoiding riding as passengers on tractors, and operating tractors on public roadways. Data for this study were collected in 1994 and 1995 as part of the NIOSH-sponsored Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance Project (FFHHSP). Despite recognition in the health and safety community of the hazards associated with operating tractors without ROPS on public roadways and with extra riders, these practices remain common among youth on Kentucky farms. Farms with annual incomes greater than $10,000, particularly with livestock commodities, appear to use youth for a greater number of days of tractor operation than other farms. Such farms may be an appropriate target for intervention.     

Effect of tillage and rotation on organic carbon forms of chernozemic soils in Saskatchewan

The effects of selected tillage and rotation systems on soil organic carbon and its fractions were studied on Chernozemic soils in south‐western and east‐central Saskatchewan. After practicing a no‐till fallow unfertilized‐wheat rotation for 7 years on an Orthic Brown Chernozem in south‐western Saskatchewan, total soil organic carbon (TOC) in the 0 – 5 cm and 5 – 10 cm layers was slightly lower than the tillage fallow‐unfertilized wheat comparable treatment. However, light fraction of organic carbon (LFOC) was similar in the two treatments. Comparison of the tillage fallow‐unfertilized wheat to a treatment involving conversion to a fertilized continuous cropping system for 10 years showed TOC increased slightly in the two depths and LFOC increased by 24 % and 29 % in the 0 – 5 cm and 5 – 10 cm layer, respectively, of the continuous cropping treatment. Microbial biomass carbon (MB‐C) was increased significantly at the 5 – 10 cm depth. After conversion of fallow‐wheat to alfalfa as perennial forage for 10 years, TOC increased by 80 % and 27 %, LFOC by 245 % and 286 %, and HFOC by 63 % and 20 % at 0 – 5 cm and 5 – 10 cm depths, respectively, compared to the tilled cereal‐fallow system. Meanwhile, water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) was not affected but MB‐C increased significantly. In an Orthic Black Chernozem in east‐central Saskatchewan, the depletion and restoration of organic carbon was observed when native sod was changed into cropland and then back to grassland. For example, the TOC of cropland under cereal‐fallow rotation for 62 years decreased by 42 % and 33 % at 0 – 5 cm and 5 – 10 cm depths, respectively, compared to native sod. The LFOC decreased by 79 % and 74 % in the layers, and reductions in WSOC and MB‐C were even greater. After cropland was re‐seeded to grassland for 12 years, the concentration of total organic carbon was increased by 16 % and 22 % while the mass of organic carbon was the same as the cropland in the two layers. The LFOC and MB‐C amounts in the grass seed‐down were double that of the cropped land, but the amounts of TOC, LFOC, and MB‐C in grass seed‐down were still significantly lower than the native sod.     

规模化养猪场处理污水施用对小麦产量和品质的影响

随着我国规模化养猪场迅速发展,排放的粪尿污水不断增加,导致严重的环境污染,成为规模化养猪可持续发展亟待解决的问题。种养结合是污水最佳处理利用途径。规模化养猪场污水在农田特别是在农场经营条件下应用的技术缺少系统研究,本研究通过田间试验探讨实现小麦高产优质高效的污水利用技术,为规模化养猪场-农田种植循环农业模式的应用提供技术支持。试验所用污水为养猪场粪尿和冲洗废水经过充分发酵后的污水,污水含全氮1 000 mg.L-1、速效氮540 mg.L-1、速效磷779 mg.L-1。在常规基施化肥基础上,设计小麦越冬期施入0 m3.hm-2、30 m3.hm-2、60 m3.hm-2、90 m3.hm-2、120 m3.hm-2的污水与穗期施氮肥0kg(N).hm-2、30 kg(N).hm-2、60 kg(N).hm-2、90 kg(N).hm-2组合为处理,研究对小麦产量和品质的影响。结果表明,越冬期施污水30 m3.hm-2、60 m3.hm-2或90 m3.hm-2与穗期施氮60 kg(N).hm-2相结合的3个处理产量分别为8 496.27 kg.hm-2、8 372.28 kg.hm-2、8 419.97 kg.hm-2,与大田常规施肥的产量8 305.52 kg.hm-2相当,穗期不追施或施氮量30 kg(N).hm-2处理,产量都低于常规施肥产量,说明越冬期污水施用必须与一定量化肥配合才能获得理想的产量。在品质方面,穗期不施氮肥或施氮30 kg(N).hm-2处理的籽粒蛋白质含量都低于中筋小麦下限13%的要求。从产量与品质两方面考虑,污水施用量60 m3.hm-2与穗期施氮90 kg(N).hm-2组合、污水施用量90 m3.hm-2与穗期施氮60 kg(N).hm-2处理均为较优的施肥方案。再考虑到农田较大污水承载量和减少化肥施用的目标,污水施用量为90 m3.hm-2、穗期施氮60 kg(N).hm-2处理为小麦优质高产高效的污水施用方案。     

“双链型”生态农业示范园区对农户决策的影响研究

阐明“双链型”生态农业示范园区实行“公司 基地 农户”运行机制,实现无公害农产品产业化生产经营。并分析了农户参与后生产特征及效益的变化和农户决策模式类型。指出影响农户决策的诸多因素中公司的运行绩效和服务起主导作用。     

中国食物消费随人口结构变化分析

中国目前正在经历快速的人口年龄结构调整,其必会对中国食物消费产生巨大的影响。该文利用中国健康与营养调查(China health and nutrition survey,CHNS)数据,对中国不同年龄居民的消费特征进行了分析,在此基础上,根据生命周期理论与Leslie人口模型,预测2030年前中国各年龄的人口规模,进而判断人口年龄结构变化对中国主要食物消费量的影响。研究结果显示:1)不同年龄段居民的不同类别的食物消费规律明显,大致可分为4种类型:倒"U"型曲线消费(口粮、水产品、白酒)、"U"型曲线消费(牛奶)、阶段性直线消费(肉类3阶段消费规律、禽类2阶段消费规律)、无差异消费(禽蛋)。2)人口年龄结构对中国食物消费总量产生了明显的影响,包括正向影响(口粮、水产品、白酒)、负向影响(肉类、禽类)、先负后正影响(牛奶)、无明显影响(禽蛋)。3)在影响程度上,中国人口年龄结构的演变对肉类、禽类消费量的负向影响最为明显,至2030年,分别达到4.9%与11.2%的程度,对白酒的正向影响也达到8.2%的程度。对口粮、水产品、牛奶的影响程度相对较小,而对禽蛋几乎没有影响。由此可见,人口年龄结构的变化会使中国居民肉类消费需求增长及由此带来的粮食需求压力趋缓。     

Effect of different dosage and administration schedules of folic acid on blood folate levels in a population of Honduran women of reproductive age

BACKGROUND: Observational studies and clinical trials have shown conclusive evidence that periconceptional folic acid supplementation prevents up to 70 % of neural tube defects (NTD). The Honduran government wanted to implement a supplementation programme of folic acid but needed to assess the relative effects of two dosages of folic acid. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of two dosages of folic acid on blood folate levels in Honduran female factory workers aged 18 to 49 years. DESIGN: This was a randomized, double-blind control supplementation trial conducted in Choloma, Honduras. A total of 140 eligible women were randomly assigned to two dosage groups and followed up for 12 weeks. One group received a daily dosage of 1 mg folic acid and the other a once weekly dosage of 5 mg. Serum folate and red blood cell folate levels were determined by radioassay at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. RESULTS: Serum folate levels increased from 6.3 (se 0.2) to 14.9 (se 0.6) ng/ml (P < 0.0001) in women assigned to the 1 mg/d group and from 6.9 (se 0.3) to 10.1 (se 0.4) ng/ml (P < 0.0001) in those assigned to the 5 mg/week group. Red blood cell folate concentrations also increased significantly in both groups, albeit more slowly. Educational level, age and BMI were not associated with the changes in serum and red blood cell folate levels during the supplementation period. However, a differential effect on serum folate levels by dosage group and time was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Although both folate supplementation regimens increased serum and red blood cell folate levels significantly among the women studied, blood folate levels that are considered to be protective of NTD were reached faster with the daily dosage of 1 mg folic acid.     

Engaging a hard-to-reach population in research: sampling and recruitment of hired farm workers in the MICASA study

Hired farm workers provide the majority of the workforce for California's labor-intensive agricultural sector Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations, but there has been little research into the etiology of poor health outcomes that occur disproportionately in hired farm worker populations. MICASA is a cohort investigation of occupational and environmental health risks in hired farm worker households in Mendota, California, that employed a two-stage sampling process, including random selection of census blocks and door-to-door enumeration. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the success of the sampling process and compare demographics of the enumerated population to other regional samples of Latino populations. In the enumeration, 1257 addresses were mapped and 729 hired farm worker households were enumerated. Findings showed no significant differences between the enumerated population and the resulting MICASA study sample; however, the MICASA population was more likely to be male, from Central America, work in agriculture, and have fewer years residency in the U.S. than California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) respondents. Additionally, 9.4% of the enumerated dwellings were back houses or unofficial dwellings and may have been missed by the U.S. Census 2000. Demographic comparisons between the enumerated population, census data, and CHIS data highlight the differences in these sampling methods and suggest possible demographic changes in hired farm workers in California. While difficulties in accessing hired farm workers often account for the lack of population-based research, the MICASA cohort provides an opportunity to examine occupational health patterns relevant to other farm worker populations.     

The perception of farm safety and prevention issues among the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

The purpose of this study was to explore farm safety and prevention issues within an Old Order Amish community. A qualitative ethnographic approach was used to explore perceptions of Amish adults as to the issues related to farm safety and prevention for their children. Access to this community was facilitated through two contact people who were well known in the community. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and recorded as field notes. Data analysis was done by looking for themes based on the questions asked about safety and prevention. From this analysis, four themes were found related to safety and prevention. They included education of the parents, education of the children, home and farm preventive measures, and enforcement of established rules. In addition, childhood readiness was found to be another important issue related to farm safety. Childhood readiness was found to have three themes, developmental appropriateness, parental control and supervision, and birth order of the child. Data from this study suggested that farm safety is a concern of the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County. Their perceptions of safety and prevention issues centered on the incidents that have occurred and are considered dangerous. It is important to look at the identified safety and prevention and childhood readiness themes to identify the most beneficial approaches for the Amish to promote safety on their farms.     

Stress on the farm and its association with injury

The objectives of this study were to examine associations between perceived psychosocial stress and farm injury among men and women in Ontario, Canada. Cross-sectional data from the Ontario Farm Family Health Study were used to investigate perceived levels of stress, farm injuries and their interrelationships. Age-standardized rates of injury were 13.3/100/year and 3.8/100/year for men and women, respectively. The most common types of injury were strains/sprains/torn ligaments and cuts/lacerations. Approximately 18% of men and 11% of women reported that their lives were "very stressful." Common sources of stress were money worries and feeling overworked. The risk for farm injury increased with level of stress. For men, the adjusted odds ratios for injury were: 1.00 (referent), 1.02 (95% CI: 0.72, 1.42), and 1.61 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.41)for lowest to highest stress levels, respectively. For women, adjusted odds ratios were: 1.00 (referent), 1.43 (95% CI: 0.83, 2.47), and 2.73 (95% CI: 1.38, 5.39). These risks were especially pronounced among women who were not employed off the farm. This study represents a novel quantitative analysis examining associations between perceived psychological stress and farm injury. Future research should investigate these associations in other farm populations, confirm their temporal directions, and further explore the effect of gender on the strength of these associations.     

不同管理模式对花椒园节肢动物群落结构及稳定性的影响

为探讨有利于花椒园节肢动物群落结构的管理模式,2012年对云南省昭通市3种常见管理模式(粗放、免耕、精细)下花椒园节肢动物群落的组成和结构进行了系统调查。采用群落特征指数和主成分分析法对节肢动物群落特征、季节性变化及稳定性进行了研究。结果表明,调查区花椒园节肢动物群落由2纲9目97科318种组成,其中害虫主要种类为大青叶蝉(Tettigoniella viridis)、小绿叶蝉(Empoasca flavescens)、棉蚜(Aphis gossypii)和小长蝽(Nysius ercae),天敌主要种类为大灰食蚜蝇(Metasyrphus corolla)、斑食蚜蝇(Melanostoma scalare)、环腹瘿蜂属一种(Frigates sp.)和翠绿巨胸小蜂(Perilampus prasinus)。3种模式下,粗放模式丰富度(21.985 7)最高,但植食性类群亚群落个体比例(36.13%)也最高。免耕模式的多样性指数(3.649 1)、均匀性指数(0.694 3)和稳定性指数Ss/Si(0.074 7)、Nn/Np(0.557 2)、Sd/Sp(0.545 5)、Nd/Np(1.467 8)均高于其他两种模式。精细模式的优势度最高(0.193 1)、群落特征指数全年波动较大,受到外界干扰强烈。免耕模式下天敌对主要害虫的跟随作用较好且害虫爆发高峰期的虫口数量(最高81头)皆低于同时期粗放模式(最高189头)与精细模式(最高123头)。主成分分析表明粗放模式与精细模式下主导群落变化的主要因素为害虫,而免耕模式下天敌起到了主导作用,其对害虫的调控效果较好。因此综合考虑生态经济效益,免耕模式为有利于当地花椒种植的管理模式。     

Statistical Assessment of the Surface Water Quality Monitoring Network in Saskatchewan

Surface water quality monitoring is one of the responsibilities of a number of provincial and federal environmental departments in Canada. In Saskatchewan, the Ministry of Environment is responsible for the province water quality monitoring network. The sampling effort was initiated 40 years ago and has been ongoing since, with varying degrees of spatial and temporal coverage. The main objective of the Saskatchewan monitoring network is the assessment of ambient water quality status. In addition, one of the main uses of the generated water quality data is the calculation of a Water Quality Index. The adequacy of the monitoring network to perform these tasks needs to be validated. The objective of this study is to provide a statistical assessment of two of the monitoring network main aspects, the water quality variables and their sampling frequency. A new rationalization approach is applied for the assessment and reselection of water quality variables. The proposed approach provides, in a systematic way, the optimal combinations of variables to continue measuring, variables that may be redundant and could be considered for discontinuance, and variables that may need to be added to the list of variables being measured. The confidence interval around the mean is used as the main criterion for the sampling frequency assessment. A design chart is provided for the sampling frequency assessment, which is easy to use, and provides an initial assessment of the number of samples required to provide a mean value with a predefined error percentage.     

改善畜床环境对减小猪肢蹄损伤发病率影响的研究

不良的畜床环境是导致母猪肢蹄损伤发病率高的关键因素。为探明不同畜床环境对猪肢蹄损伤发病率影响的差异，对采用不同畜床饲养的母猪进行了观察和对比试验。发现冷、硬、潮混凝土畜床上的母猪肢蹄损伤发病率高达37.7%，全漏缝地板畜床发病率为30.5%，局部漏缝地板发病率则在25%。简易节能型畜床肢蹄损伤发病率仅为5.18%，使猪肢蹄损伤发病率下降了70%～80%，这一结果证明，通过改变畜床材料和结构来改善畜床环境的新思路、新方法是可行的。     

Effect of hydrologic regime and forest age on Collembola in riparian forests

The principal objective of the study was to assess factors of primary importance for collembolan community variability measured in riparian forest stands of different age after traditional clear cutting within natural and altered hydrologic regimes. The study was conducted in the Ukrainian part of the Latorica river floodplain where the largest stands of the highly protected medio-European Querco—Ulmetum minoris fluvial forests can be found. Six oak forest stands were investigated on the river floodplain: three in a natural section (inside levee) of the floodplain, which have their original features preserved with periodical inundation, and three in a section separated by a flood control embankment (outside levee) and subjected to serious damage by drainage. In each section the three stands sampled were represented by different ages regenerated with clear-cutting (>3 years, >8 years and >112 years).Differences in hydrologic regimes were central to identification of a predictable and explainable percentage of variation in species composition of Collembola communities in fluvial forests. The hydrologic regime factor was correlated with the basic structural attributes of collembolan communities, such as abundance, species richness and some ecological traits. Season accounted for a higher degree of variation in collembolan communities than did the age of forest stands. We conclude that differences in hydrologic regime are of much higher importance in structuring collembolan communities in riparian forests than are the ages of stands.