Nonfatal injury rates of Utah agricultural producers

The purposes of this study were to identify the source and frequency of agricultural injuries in Utah, and determine an injury rate for common agricultural activities. Previous studies conducted in Utah examined injury rates by utilizing emergency room logs. This study collected data directly from the source, farmers and ranchers in Utah, and included all modes of treatment. A random sample of Utah Farm Bureau members were mailed questionnaires to assess the number of injuries occurring during the past three years, the mode of treatment for the most recent injury, and the percentage of time spent in hazardous activities. The rate of injuries requiring medical treatment (19.9%) observed in this survey-based study was higher than reported in previous studies at the state and national level. Nearly half (48.7%) of the injuries reported were treated at home or by a family member. As in the previous Utah studies, working with horses was found to be the single most dangerous activity for agriculturalists in Utah in terms of injuries per unit time of exposure, followed by servicing agricultural machinery.     

Eye injury in migrant farm workers and suggested hazard controls

The eyes are a common site of injury in agricultural operations. Identification of the cause of injury is important to inform preventive interventions. The objective of this study was to describe the hazards and mechanisms of acute traumatic injury to the eyes of agricultural workers who are hired in farming operations on a seasonal basis. A review of the literature was performed to summarize the mechanisms of eye injuries in agriculture. Field observations and informal interviews were performed to verify the literature and to determine whether there are eye hazards for farm workers that have not been reported in the literature. Additional mechanisms of injury were elicited, and suggested methods of injury prevention are presented here.     

Protecting young workers in agriculture: participation in tractor certification training

Tractor-related injuries among youth are an important public health problem. The major objectives of this study were to (1) provide a rigorous estimate of the number of youth operating tractors in Ohio and (2) assess the extent to which these youth are participating in federally mandated tractor safety training. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by approximately 4,000 students ages 14 or 15 years who were enrolled in a stratified cluster sample of 99 Ohio schools. Almost one-third of the youth (30%) reported having operated tractors, with 19% having operated a tractor on a farm not owned by a parent or guardian. More than half of the youth (52%) reported having operated a tractor and/or other hazardous machinery, with 25% having operated the machinery on a farm not owned or operated by a parent or guardian. Extrapolating from 4-H records and Ohio census data, fewer than 1% of the youth who are operating tractors or other hazardous machinery have participated in tractor certification training. Increasing participation in mandated training may be an important step in protecting the health of our nation's young agricultural workers.     

Pesticide knowledge and risk perception among adolescent Latino farmworkers

A substantial proportion of the agricultural production in the U.S. is dependent on the labor of Latino farmworkers. While exact figures are not known, it is estimated that adolescents make up 7% of this valuable workforce. These young workers may be at increased risk for the toxic effects of environmental exposures encountered during their work. Furthermore, language barriers and health beliefs may influence the risk perceptions of this population. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of migrant adolescent farmworkers in 1998 to investigate their work practices, health beliefs, and pesticide knowledge. The large majority of the adolescents in our sample were from Mexico, and 36.3% spoke primarily indigenous languages. Many of the adolescents (64.7%) were traveling and working in the U.S. independent of their parents. Few of the adolescents reported having received pesticide training; however, 21.6% of the sample reported that their current work involved mixing and/or applying agricultural chemicals. The scores on the pesticide knowledge questionnaire were found to significantly predict self-reported use of protection for adolescent farmworkers. The results of this study point to a need for improved pesticide training in youth agricultural workers and specialized education efforts directed toward minorities who speak indigenous dialects. Special attention is merited toward adolescent farmworkers who report that their work includes mixing or applying agricultural chemicals. As the number of adolescent farmworkers increases in the U.S. and the characteristics of the migrant stream continue to change, culturally and developmentally appropriate instruments are needed to adequately assess the health beliefs and protective practices of this population.     

Reaching teen farm workers with health and safety information: an evaluation of a high school ESL curriculum

While childhood agricultural injury has long been recognized as an important public health issue, most research has focused on family farms and there have not been many interventions targeting hired youth. This study evaluated the impact of a high school English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum, designed to provide teen agricultural workers with the knowledge and tools to protect their health and safety in the fields. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research consisted of two intervention groups and a comparison group, and included over 2,000 students from communities that lead California in agricultural production. The research findings revealed that the curriculum had significant impact in terms of increases in knowledge and attitudes, and nearly half of those interviewed after a summer of working in the fields reported implementing new behaviors to protect their health and safety. The curriculum also had extended effects in the broader community, as the majority of students reported sharing the new information with others. The study found that a school-based ESL curriculum is an effective intervention to reach and educate teen farm workers and that ESL classes can serve as a much-needed access point for young farm workers.     

Mortality and morbidity in agriculture in the United States

This article summarizes the trends in agricultural injuries and illnesses in the past decade, as well as the needs for surveillance in the future. Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in the U.S. The fatality rate in agriculture remained high (about 22/100,000 workers) through the 1990s. and tractors remained the leading source of death, causing approximately 300 fatalities each year. Non-fatal injuries and illnesses decreased in the employed agricultural worker population. There are no adequate injury and illness data for self-employed farmers and family members to show trends over time. The reported injury rates have been 0.5 to 16.6/100 workers, based on the source of information. Many studies have shown high rates of respiratory and musculoskeletal symptoms, hearing loss, and skin disorders in agriculture. The overall cancer rate is lower; however, certain cancers are elevated in farmers. Surveillance information has not improved significantly in the past decade; however, many studies have provided more insight into the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for injury and illness. Further efforts are needed to better define the populations at risk, including farmers and ranchers, family members, workers, migrant and seasonal workers, and others exposed to farm hazards. Fatalities are well documented, and it is important to continue existing surveillance in the future. Surveillance systems should be developed to collect information on agriculture-related non-fatal injuries and illnesses.     

Agricultural employers' hiring and safety practices for adolescent workers

The goal of the "Safety Training for Employers and Supervisors of Adolescent Farmworkers" initiative is to improve the occupational health and safety knowledge and practices of agricultural employers and supervisors responsible for employees, ages 14 to 17 years. Surveys were sent to members of the National Council of Agricultural Employers and the Washington Growers League to measure attitudes regarding adolescent employees, current hiring and training practices, and future intentions. More than half of the respondents hire adolescents. Two-thirds were male, nearly three-quarters of the respondents had college or post-graduate degrees, and more than half were 50 years or older. The majority of respondents had positive perceptions of adolescents in terms of dependability, helpfulness, and work ethic. Among those who currently hire young workers, the most common reasons were to provide a job for children of friends and family and because they can work part-time to fill a labor demand. Among those not hiring adolescents, the most common reason was concern about child labor regulations and associated tasks (e.g., paperwork, monitoring hours). Respondents use a variety of safety training resources, especially posters and safety meetings. For the future, they expect to need more handout materials and training videos. Study results provide insights into barriers to the employment of young workers and suggest methods by which agricultural safety specialists can best assist those employers and producers who are willing to hire adolescents into agricultural work settings.     

Expected injury cost indices on Finnish farms

Annually, more than 6000 work-related injuries occur on Finnish farms. One-fourth of these injuries are classified as severe, resulting in considerable economic losses to agricultural enterprises and the national economy. The injury rate among farmers is more than twice that among all employees on average. This study aimed to identify the risk factors that should be considered when targeting interventions, thus improving their cost-effectiveness. The expected injury cost (EIC) risk index method, which combines the probability of injuries with their severity and costs, was implemented. The potential risk factors included the type of agricultural operation, worker characteristics (gender, age), agricultural work tasks performed, and the geographical location of the farm enterprise. Crop production emerged as the type of agricultural operation with the highest risk index (1.12). The lowest risk index was in sheep and goat husbandry operations (0.35). The risk index was higher for men compared to women (1.11 vs. 0.77). The highest risk age group was farmers from 55 to 59 years of age (1.36). Farmers under 40 (0.17 to 0.89) and over 65 years old (0.70) had the lowest injury risks. No evidence was found that dangerous regions are concentrated in certain geographical parts of the country. The most common agricultural work tasks in which injuries occurred were the repair and maintenance of machinery and equipment, the transportation and relocation of animals, and milking. These accounted for more than one-third of all compensated work injuries in 2005. The identified risk factors could be considered when setting priorities in injury prevention and resource allocation.     

现代农用天气预报业务及其有关问题的探讨

为了更好地开展现代农业气象业务,提升气象为农服务能力,文章从涵盖农林牧副渔的大农业生产需求出发,阐述了现代农用天气预报的定义、原理、业务内容、技术方法与工作流程,并就其业务范围、预报时效、区域业务重点等展开讨论.文章指出,现代农用天气预报业务基于农业生产与天气的相关性、农事的可选择性和天气预报能力的不断提高,其主要特征发生了较大变化,一是强调天气预报、农业气象指标和农业气象评价技术的结合,而不仅仅是对农用天气的预报;二是业务涉及面广泛,除了为粮棉油生产服务的传统农用天气预报外,还包括林用、牧用、渔用、设施农业天气预报等;三是预报能力明显提高,对出现的时间、地点和数量预报已逐步实现精细化;四是主要业务在现代信息技术和业务系统上运行,定量化和客观化水平更高.文章认为,农用天气预报业务应明确业务范围,突出区域特点和工作重点,并注重业务产品的时效性和实用性.     

Nonfatal injuries to household youth on racial minority-operated farms in the U.S., 2000

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that 32,808 nonfatal injuries occurred to youth less than 20 years of age on U.S. farms during 1998. These data, however, do not allow for the identification of minority farm operators. The Minority Farm Operator Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (M-CAIS) was conducted to provide an overview of the number of youth on minority-operated farms and their associated farm-related injuries during 2000. M-CAIS was conducted by the USDA for NIOSH through a telephone survey of 49,270 minority-operated farms identified in the 1997 Census of Agriculture. These minority-operated farms included four racial categories (black, Asian, Native American, and other) and operators of Hispanic ethnicity. This study included only racial minority-operated farms for analysis, white Hispanic farms were excluded. In 2000, there were an estimated 28,577 youth living on U.S. farms operated by racial minorities. In that year, these youth sustained an estimated 348 nonfatal injuries. Males accounted for 245 (70%) of the injuries to household youth. The majority of all injuries to household youth (247, 71%) occurred on livestock operations. Native American household youth accounted for both the largest number of injuries (177) and the highest rate of injury (24.0/1,000 household youth) on these farms. M-CAIS data indicated significant variation in injury rates among specific racial categories. Results of the M-CAIS suggest the need for prevention strategies to address issues found within these specific sub-populations of the agricultural community.     

Compliance with NAGCAT work practices recommendations for youth cleaning service alleys in stall barns

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in the U.S. among persons 1 to 44 years of age. Over one million children and adolescents in the U.S. live, work, and/or play on farms, where injury risk is relatively high compared to other settings. In an attempt to reduce the number of childhood agricultural injuries occurring on farms, the North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks (NAGCAT) was developed to assist parents or other caregivers in assigning developmentally appropriate chores to youth exposed to agricultural hazards. The results presented here are from a longitudinal study in which we obtained (self-reported) daily chore, injury, and safety behavior data from children and adolescents. We focused on one NAGCAT chore, cleaning a service alley in a stall barn, in order to estimate the extent of compliance with specific work practice recommendations contained in the NAGCAT. Our results indicated that among the four NAGCAT-recommended safety practices for cleaning service alleys in stall barns (wearing nonskid shoes, leather gloves, a respirator, and eye protection), wearing non-skid shoes was the only safety practice reported with any degree of regularity. Overall, boys were more likely to wear non-skid shoes compared to girls. In addition, older youth were generally more likely to report higher work practice compliance compared to younger youth.     

Tractor overturn concerns in Iowa: perspectives from the Keokuk county rural health study

Agriculture remains one of the most hazardous industries in the U.S., with tractor overturns producing the greatest number of agricultural machinery-related fatalities. Rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seatbelts effectively reduce tractor overturn deaths. However, a large proportion of tractors in use in American agriculture are older tractors without ROPS and seatbelts. This article describes the tractor-related responses from participants in a population-based study conducted in Keokuk County, Iowa. This study was designed to measure rural and agricultural adverse health and injury outcomes and their respective risk factors. Questionnaires were partially developed from well-documented national surveys. Questions about agricultural machinery use, presence of safety equipment on the machinery, work practices, and attitudes about farm safety were included. Study participants on farms who owned tractors had an average of 3.1 tractors with an average age of 27 years. Only 39% of the 665 tractors had ROPS. Tractor age was associated with the presence of ROPS; 84% of tractors manufactured after 1984 were ROPS-equipped, whereas only 3% of tractors manufactured before 1960 were ROPS-equipped. ROPS-equipped tractors were significantly more common on larger farms and households with higher income. Only 4% of the farmers reported that their tractors had seatbelts and they wore them when operating their tractors. The results of this study support the findings of other studies, which indicate that many older tractors without ROPS and seatbelts remain in use in American agriculture. Until a dramatic reduction in the number of tractors in the U.S. operated without ROPS and seatbelts is achieved, the annual incidence of 120 to 130 deaths associated with tractor overturns will persist.     

The California Agricultural Workers Health Survey

The California Agricultural Workers Health Survey was a statewide cross-sectional household survey of 970 hired farm laborers. Randomly selected participants residing in randomly selected dwellings were recruited in seven communities representing all of the state's agricultural regions. Participants were interviewed in their preferred language by professional staff. The response rate was 83%. The comprehensive interview included self-reported health conditions, doctor-reported health conditions, work history, workplace health conditions, field sanitation, and work-related injuries. A farm workplace injury during the twelve-month period prior to the interview was reported by 6% of male workers (95% CI: 4% - 8%) and 2% of female workers (95% CI: 1% - 3%). Significant numbers of both male (41%) and female (40%) workers reported persistent pain (every day for more than one week) in the back, neck, knees, shoulders, hands, feet, or multiple body parts. The number of body parts in which female workers reported persistent pain correlated with increased years of U.S. hired farm work (Spearman r = 0.24, p < 0.01). Direct contact with pesticides from being sprayed or drifted upon among both male and female workers was associated with multiple workplace health conditions such as irritated, itchy, or water eyes (male: OR 2.9, 95% CI: 1.6 - 5.0; female: OR 13.8, 95% CI: 4.3 - 44.7). Persistent stomach aches among male and female participants was associated with being required to taste unwashed grapes for sweetness while picking (male: OR 4.6, 95% CI: 2.1 - 9.9; female: OR 5.8, 95% CI: 2.6 - 12.6).     

Job hazards for musculoskeletal disorders for youth working on farms

A series of eight focus groups were convened to: (1) identify tasks and activities performed by youth on farms with the potential for causing non-traumatic work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs); (2) determine the participants perceptions about risks of MSDs for youths performing those tasks; and (3) determine other factors that might relate to MSDs for youth working on farms, such as possible interventions for prevention. Seventy-two farm family members, 40 adults and 32 farm youth aged 8-18, participated in focus groups. Ten questions were posed to each of the eight groups about what tasks youth perform on the farm, how the work is assigned, and what risk factors are associated with the work. There was general agreement among the adults that maturity rather than age is the dominant factor for determining what tasks are performed by youth workers on the farm. Youth, on the other hand, believed that task urgency dictated what jobs were assigned to youth workers. Most adults indicated that lifting objects, forking, or shoveling was responsible for most of the serious non-traumatic injuries. Bending over while working, sitting in an awkward position looking back at equipment from a tractor, sitting in a cramped position, looking down at a combine header, and long hours of work were also identified as potential problems. Youth described muscle aches and strains of the legs, arms, shoulder, back or neck as everyday occurrences. According to the youth, "If it's not broken, you're fine". Only basic training is provided and most respondents believed that youth learned best through observation. There was general agreement that physician recommended guidelines for assigning youth to tasks would be ignored unless they carried the force of the law.     

Striving to provide opportunities for farm worker community participation in research

Hispanic farm workers and their families in the U.S. face a number of environmental and occupational health risks, yet they are rarely given the opportunity to choose the focus of the research and interventions that take place in their communities. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) can be one effective approach to changing this situation. CBPR is an approach to research that makes community members partners in research rather than subjects of research. This article describes the experience of El Proyecto Bienestar (The Well-Being Project), a CBPR project in the Yakima Valley, Washington, with the aim of facilitating the Hispanic community's involvement in the identification and prioritization of occupational and environmental health issues among farm workers. The project utilized three forms of data collection (key informant interviews, community surveys, and a town hall meeting) to create a list of environmental and occupational health issues of concern. Investigators strove to provide opportunities for community participation in the various stages of research: study concept and design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, conclusions, and dissemination of results. This article describes the involvement that community members had at each stage of the three forms of data collection and outlines the basic findings that led the Community Advisory Board to prioritize four areas for future work. In addition, it describes the challenges the project faced from the researcher perspective. Using examples from this experience, we conclude that this model may be an effective way for farm workers and their families to have a voice in prioritizing health and safety issues for research and action in their communities.     

Associations of work-family conflicts with food habits and physical activity

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the relationship between family-work conflicts with food habits and physical activity, and whether the relationship is dependent on family structure and work-related factors. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional postal surveys were carried out in 2001 and 2002 among employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland, aged 40-60 years (n = 5346, response rate 66%; for women 70% and for men 60%). Dependent variables in logistic regression analyses were nationally recommended food habits and physical activity. Independent variables were work-family conflicts and family-work conflicts. Covariates included age, marital status, number of children, occupational class, working hours, time travelling to work, and physical and mental work load. RESULTS: Women reporting strong work-family conflicts were more likely to follow recommended food habits (odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals 1.49 (1.19-1.86)), but this relationship weakened when adjusting for work-related factors (OR 1.20 (0.93-1.55)). Women and men with strong family-work conflicts were less likely to report recommended food habits after adjusting for family structure and work-related factors (women OR 0.75 (0.61-0.92), men OR 0.57 (0.34-0.96)). Women and men with strong work-family conflicts were less likely to follow the recommended amount of physical activity (women OR 0.76 (0.60-0.96), men OR 0.54 (0.34-0.87)). Additionally, women with strong family-work conflicts were less likely to follow the recommended amount of physical activity (OR 0.77 (0.63-0.94)). Adjusting for family and work-related factors did not affect these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Conflicts between paid work and family life are likely to constitute barriers for a physically active lifestyle and possibly also for healthy food habits. Improving the balance between work and family may provide a route for promoting health-related behaviours.     

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.     

Low back disorders in agriculture and the role of stooped work: scope, potential interventions, and research needs

Low back disorders (LBDs) continue to be a major occupational health problem facing the agricultural workforce. Working in a flexed or stooped posture is one of several workplace factors associated with occupationally related LBDs and is highly prevalent in many agricultural tasks. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the role of stooped work in the problem of LBDs among agricultural workers by examining the epidemiological literature, evaluating the scope of stooped work in agriculture, and examining current and potential intervention approaches. The literature review indicates that the prevalence of LBDs in agriculture worldwide is considerably high and substantially reported. Workers who are exposed to stooped work in agriculture are estimated to be in the 100s of millions worldwide. However, stooped work has not been specifically investigated as an independent LBD risk factor. Plausible biomechanical and physiological mechanisms of how stooped work may lead to damage to the spinal structures are discussed, and this complements the epidemiological evidence of high prevalence of LBDs in agriculture. However, this study also identifies the need to conduct more thorough epidemiological studies that utilize accurate quantitative exposure and outcome assessment techniques for developing more appropriate dose-response relationships in agricultural stooped work. This will provide better means for evaluating current and future interventions for jobs involving stooped work. Various intervention approaches are summarized to control and abate stooped work in agriculture; however, it must be emphasized that any development of ergonomic interventions for stooped work in agriculture must incorporate a participatory ergonomics approach that integrates the opinions and concerns of workers, managers, and ergonomists.