Issues in agricultural health and safety

Farm Health and Safety Issues

This study identifies gender specific farm health and safety issues. Based on a sample from the 1988 New York Farm Family Survey, descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were used to establish unique gender based profiles in terms of labor force participation, and prioritization of farm health and safety issues, concerns, and information sources. Based on the factor analysis, women's main farm health and safety issues included physical problems and occupational hazard screening needs, provider integrity, and economic incentives. Men's main issues consisted of accident related counseling needs, skin related hazards, and the farm related convenience of the services. Men and women had statistically significant differences in the types of information sources and reasons for using farm health and safety services. These differences imply that farm health and safety providers must consider both gender related information gathering and farm health and safety prioritizations to more efficiently allocate intervention resources, more effectively promote safety, and reduce the incidence of occupationally related morbidity and mortality in agriculture.

Tractor-related injuries: an analysis of workers' compensation data

Previous studies have reported that tractors are responsible for high proportions of fatal and nonfatal agricultural injuries. However, many common and preventable risk factors, conditions, and associated costs related to tractor-related injuries have not been investigated. This case-based study used workers' compensation data to investigate tractor-related injuries. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify and describe tractor-related injuries, (2) assess medical and indemnity costs associated with tractor-related injuries, and (3) determine contributing factors associated with those injuries. Tractor-related injury claims data from Colorado workers' compensation records were analyzed for a 12-year period (1992-2004). Descriptive analyses of the costs, characteristics, and contributing factors associated with tractor-related injuries were conducted. The epidemiological agent-host-environment model was used to analyze injury event descriptions. A total of 23,484 agricultural-related injury claims were analyzed. Through an event description analysis, a total of 642 claims were identified as being tractor-related. Over 60% of tractor-related claims involved sprains/strains and contusions. A total of 21% of tractor-related claims were associated with the worker mounting or dismounting a tractor, and an additional 10% of claims were associated with the worker falling, jumping, or slipping off a tractor. Among all claims associated with tractor mounting or dismounting, 35% involved the ankle and 15% involved the knee. Nearly three-quarters of tractor-related claims were medical-only claims. The median medical claim cost was $319, and the median medical plus indemnity claim cost was $335. Claim costs associated with tractor-overturn injuries were higher than tractor-related injury claims in general. This study determined that a large percentage of tractor-related injury claims were associated with tractor mounting and dismounting. These findings are consistent with previous research and suggest the need to further investigate tractor design criteria related to mounting and dismounting.

Livestock-handling injuries in agriculture: an analysis of Colorado workers' compensation data

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have reported that livestock-handling injuries are among the most severe of agricultural injuries. This study identifies the costs, characteristics, and contributing factors associated with livestock-handling injuries among Colorado dairy farmers, cattle/livestock raisers, and cattle dealers.

METHODS

A 10-year (1997-2006) history of Colorado's workers' compensation claims data was used for analysis. Descriptive analyses of livestock-handling injury claims were performed. Claim cost analysis was also conducted. The agent-host-environment epidemiological model was used to analyze injury event descriptions.

RESULTS

A total of 1,114 livestock-handling claims were analyzed. Claims associated with milking parlor tasks represented nearly 50% of injuries among dairy workers. Claims associated with riding horseback, sorting/penning cattle, and livestock-handling equipment represented high proportions of livestock-handling injuries among cattle/livestock raisers and cattle dealers. Claims associated with livestock-handling represented the highest percentage of high-cost and high-severity injuries in all three sectors.

CONCLUSIONS

Livestock-handling injuries are a significant problem, more costly, and result in more time off work than other causes of agricultural injuries. There is a strong and compelling need to develop cost-effective interventions to reduce the number of livestock-handling injuries in agriculture.

Tractor-related injuries: a population-based study of a five-state region in the Midwest

BACKGROUND

Tractor-related injuries are among the most severe of agricultural injuries. This study identifies the incidence, consequences, and potential risk factors for tractor injuries among 3,765 agricultural households in a five-state region.

METHODS

Demographic, injury, and exposure data were collected for two 6-month recall periods in 1999 using computer assisted telephone interviews. A causal model served as a basis for survey design, data analysis, and interpretation of results; associated directed acyclic graphs guided development of multivariate models.

RESULTS

The overall injury rate was 9.6 events per 1,000 persons per year. Increased personal risk was observed for males and prior agricultural injury experience. Compared with ages 35-44, decreased risks were identified for those less than 5, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, and 20-24.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk of tractor injury among agricultural household members varied by gender, age, and prior injury experience. .

Perceived and measured hearing ability in construction laborers and farmers

BACKGROUND

Construction and farming are characterized by small independently operated enterprises; few are included in hearing loss prevention programs. This study describes perceived and measured hearing ability among construction laborers and farmers in order to further the Healthy People 2010 goal to reduce noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

METHODS

Construction laborers (n = 147) and farmers (n = 150) had screening audiograms at their workplace and a farm show, respectively. The relationship of the audiograms with a one-item measure of perceived hearing ability was explored using non-parametric statistics.

RESULTS

At the 4,000 Hz frequency, indicative of NIHL, a high percentage of both groups exhibited hearing loss greater than 25 dB: laborers 53%, farmers 67%. Perceived hearing ability was significantly worse (P < 0.05) for workers with a measured hearing loss. The sensitivities of perceived hearing loss compared to audiometry ranged from 0.30 to 0.72 suggesting that perceived hearing loss was not a good indicator of actual hearing loss in this sample.

CONCLUSIONS

The poor relationship between perceived and actual hearing loss in this study suggests that best practice requires inclusion of audiometric screening as part of a complete hearing loss prevention program. Future development of an improved instrument to measure perceived hearing ability may be useful in assessing this dimension of hearing.

Occupation, lifestyle factors and health-related quality of life: the Hordaland Health Study

Health-related quality of life was estimated using the physical and mental summary scores of the SF-12 Health Survey in a cross-sectional study of a general population of 23,312 individuals aged 40-47 years in Hordaland County, Norway. The mean scores in the main occupational groups were adjusted for lifestyle factors using a six-way analysis of covariance. The category of legislators, senior officials, and managers scored highest on both the physical and the mental components, whereas the drivers scored lowest on the physical health and agricultural and fishery workers scored lowest on mental health. Smoking showed marked dose-response relationships with reduced physical and mental health, and inverse U-shaped relationships were found for alcohol consumption and the body mass index, with the mental scale for body mass index peaking above the recommended range of 18.5 to 25.0 kg/m2. Although selection bias related to the choice of occupation cannot be ruled out, the low scores of the quality of life measure for the agricultural and fishery workers and the drivers most likely reflect the effect of known health stressors for these occupations.

Factors influencing use of hearing protection among farmers: a test of the pender health promotion model

BACKGROUND

Most farmers are exposed to potentially hazardous noise levels through many of their work activities, such as operating tractors, grain dryers, and chain saws. Rates of noise-induced hearing loss in this group are high. Although this condition is preventable through the use of hearing protection, rates of protective device use are low. Understanding factors influencing the use of hearing protection devices will provide direction for programs to increase their use and decrease risk of noise-induced hearing loss.

OBJECTIVES

A study was designed using the Pender Health Promotion Model to identify factors affecting farmers' use of hearing protection devices.

METHOD

Model testing was conducted with a convenience sample of 139 farmers. Prior to model testing, existing instruments designed to measure concepts from the Health Promotion Model were modified for use with farmers through interviews, validity testing with an expert panel, and reliability testing with first a small (n = 36) then a second larger (n = 139) convenience sample of farmers. Instruments measuring cognitive and affective factors related to hearing protection device use were administered to farmers at a regional farm show in the Midwest.

RESULTS

A logistic regression analysis identified interpersonal support, barriers, and situational influences as statistically significant predictors of this health behavior, correctly predicting 78% of the cases. Results of model testing were consistent with results of previous studies of Health Promotion Model variables with other worker groups' use of hearing protection.

CONCLUSIONS

Information from this study can be used to design and evaluate interventions to promote hearing protection device use among farmers and reduce the level of noise-induced hearing loss in this high-risk and underserved worker group.

Severe farm injuries among New York farmers

BACKGROUND

Data from the telephone interview portion of the New York State Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance were used to study the incidence and predictors of severe farm injury.

METHODS

One thousand seven hundred and six participants completed two telephone interviews in which they reported all injuries over a 12-month period.

RESULTS

Nine percent of participants reported at least one severe farm injury. Using logistic regression the significant risk factors for sustaining at least one severe farm injury are younger age, the presence of hearing loss or joint trouble, working more hours per day, being the owner/operator of the farm, and being from a farm with higher gross sales.

CONCLUSIONS

There needs to be continuing education of all farmers as to the risks of injury. However, when resources are limited, we recommend that injury education and interventions in this farming population should target younger farmers, those who work longer hours, owner/operators, farmers from higher grossing farms, with special attention to farmers who have physical impairments.

Agricultural work-related injuries among farmers in Hubei, People's Republic of China

OBJECTIVES

This population-based study evaluated patterns of and risk factors for, agricultural injuries among farmers in the People's Republic of China.

METHODS

A multistage sample of 1500 Chinese farmers was selected from 14 villages. Face-to-face interviews with 1358 farmers were conducted between July 1997 and September 1997 (response rate = 91%). Agricultural work-related injuries that occurred in the previous 24 months and the associated factors were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 33% of the farmers reported at least 1 work-related injury in the 24 months before the survey. Major external causes of the injuries were hand tools (50%), falls (26%), and heavy falling objects (10%). The statistically significant risk factors for injury were low family income, 1 to 6 school years of education, self-reported pesticide exposure, tension in relationships with neighbors, and stress in life. The most notable result was the relation between self-reported pesticide exposure and injury, with farmers with greater pesticide exposure at significantly greater risk for injury.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicated that injuries occurring among Chinese farmers may have unique patterns and potential risk factors.

Safety awareness among New York farmers

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to assess the health status and safety practices among year-round adult farm workers and residents and included a telephone interview survey of 1,727 persons from 552 farms.

METHODS

Logistic regression was used to analyze four safety questions.

RESULTS

Among 541 farm owner/operators significant predictors of making substitutions in the use of chemicals and major changes to equipment include younger age, more persons assisting on the farm, and higher gross sales. Having training is associated with having more than a high school education. Among all participants the perception that personal protective equipment are useful is associated with being younger, male, an owner/operator or worker, and having at least a high school education.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that older and less educated farmers should be targeted for health and safety programs.

Agricultural work safety efforts by Wisconsin extension agricultural agents

This study investigated the agricultural work-related safety and health programming of county-level cooperative extension agents who work through land grant universities to provide a range of educational programs to agricultural producers. A questionnaire was designed and administered to all 89 Wisconsin agriculture and agribusiness extension county faculty. The questionnaire obtained valid responses from 98.9 percent of the agents. Ninety percent of all agents conducted some occupational safety and health promotion programming in the last year. These activities occupied an average of 4.8 days per agent per year. Most of the reported activities were group programs for the agricultural labor force that involved other extension agents and included the use of videotapes. The greatest barrier to more programming was lack of time on the part of both the agricultural work force and the agents. Most extension agents placed greater emphasis on training in how to work safely around hazards than on how to recognize and permanently correct hazards. For future programs agents requested more short format materials to use in programming, such as fact sheets, videotapes, and farm hazard inspection checklists. Agents are important training delivery resources for controlling farm-related injury and disease. Agents could be more effective with more time, better materials, and with more emphasis on hazard correction in workplace safety programs.

Prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms among Ohio cash grain farmers

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, dyspnea, and non-cold wheeze was estimated from a mixed-mode survey of Ohio cash grain farmers in 1993.

METHODS

Personal characteristics of the principal operators (POs) such as age and cigarette smoking, in addition to selected farm characteristics and relevant medical and work history factors potentially associated with both exposure to respiratory irritants and subsequent respiratory symptoms were considered.

RESULTS

The overall design-adjusted prevalences (and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were: 9.4% (7.6-11.1%) for chronic cough, 10.8% (9.0-12.6%) for chronic phlegm, 16.2% (14.1-18.3%) for dyspnea, and 8.1% (6.4-9.8%) for non-cold wheeze. In univariate and multivariate analyses, smoking status was found, not surprisingly, to be the strongest predictor of increased symptom prevalence compared to all other factors. Other non-occupational factors found associated with increased symptom prevalence include age (cough, phlegm, dyspnea) and pet allergy (non-cold wheeze). Occupational factors found at least weakly associated with increased symptom prevalence include lifetime hours of cab tractor operation (cough); percent time spent farming (phlegm); having livestock other than cattle, cows, and calves (dyspnea); acres of corn for silage or green chop (cough); acres of alfalfa hay (non-cold wheeze); and personal involvement with pesticides (cough).

CONCLUSIONS

Symptom prevalences reported here are consistent with previous findings from studies of other groups of farmers. Results pertaining to factors found associated with symptom prevalences should be interpreted in light of several sources of potential bias.

Agricultural Safety and Health: Principles and Possibilities for Nursing Education

Health risks for the men, women and children involved in production agriculture are substantial. The profession of nursing, with its current emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention, is potentially capable of profoundly impacting the health of these vulnerable families in positive ways. Suggestions for methods of integrating content and activities related to agricultural safety and health in already crowded nursing curricula are offered.

Farm-work hazard prevention efforts by school-based agricultural education instructors

OBJECTIVE

To assess current prevention efforts, we examined agricultural work-related safety and health activities by school-based agricultural education instructors in Wisconsin.

METHODS

Questionnaires were administered to 284 high school agricultural education instructors.

RESULTS

Instructors taught agricultural safety and health to 61.5 students during 20.4 hours during the previous year. Extension agents were used most often as resources during preparation and presentation of coursework. Only a minority of instructors (13.6%) agreed that modifying the work to eliminate hazards should be emphasized over training people to work safely around hazards. After issues of time pressures and lack of student interest, the most important problems the instructors felt they faced were the needs for materials and other resources.

CONCLUSION

Safety education alone is unlikely to reduce injuries unless unsafe conditions are modified. Instructors need to emphasize teaching of skills in hazard recognition, identification, and control. Instructors felt they could be more effective with better materials and more time for injury and disease prevention.

Survey of health and use characterization of pesticide appliers in Minnesota

We surveyed 1,000 randomly selected state-licensed pesticide appliers to improve our understanding of pesticide use and its potential health effects. Participants were stratified by pesticide class (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, fumigants) to determine potential differences in health characteristics among different pesticide groups. A subset of 60 applicators, divided by pesticide class used, were studied for exposure-related cholinesterase (ChE) depression. ChE depression in excess of 20% was most frequent in fumigant applicators who did enclosed-space application, in addition to other pesticide application procedures (p < .05). Survey data demonstrated that the prevalence of all common chronic diseases considered together was significantly increased (p = .015) in fumigant appliers, compared with all other pesticide use groups. The frequency of chronic lung disease was also significantly increased in the fumigant applier group (p = .027). Curiously, two cases of a rare hematopoietic neoplasm--hairy cell leukemia--were identified in our study group (annual incidence 0.67/100,000 in Minnesota). Whether there is an association between this unique tumor and agricultural work is uncertain, and further study is needed in this regard.

Agricultural injuries among a population-based sample of farm operators in Alabama

A population-based study of the occurrence of agricultural injuries during the previous year was conducted in a simple random sample of 1,000 farm operators in Alabama in 1991. The participation rate was 86.2%. The cumulative 1-year incidence was 9.9% (95% CI = 7.7-12.1), based on the number of injuries, and 7.8% (95% CI = 5.8-9.8), based on the number of farmers injured. Limbs were the body parts most frequently injured: fingers (10.7%), hands or wrists (10.7%), and legs (8.9%). The leading external causes were machinery (28.6%), falls (23.2%), and animals (12.5%). There was a higher injury frequency at the end of the week, with a Saturday peak. Seasonal pattern of injury displayed a bimodal curve, one peak in spring, and a higher peak in early fall in September. The most risky farm types were forestry and dairy. The factors predictive of increased injury risk in multiple logistic regression included younger age, farm ownership, greater percent of working time spent on farming, more alcohol consumed, and prior residual injury. The results provide some indications for formulating agricultural injury control programs and for future research.

Occupational injuries and illnesses among Washington State agricultural workers

In Washington state 29,451 workers' compensation claims were filed by farm workers between 1982 and 1986. Five percent of claimants were under 18 years of age, including 1.3% under the age of 16. Agricultural workers were found to be at higher risk than other workers in the state for fatal injury (relative risk [RR] = 2.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7-3.7), sprains and strains (RR = 1.4, CI = 1.3-1.4), fractures (RR = 2.3, CI = 2.2-2.4), dislocations (RR = 1.9, CI = 1.7-2.2), concussions (RR = 1.9, CI = 1.6-2.3), amputations (RR = 2.5, CI = 2.0-3.1), dermatitis (RR = 4.3, CI = 4.0-4.7), systemic poisoning (RR = 3.4, CI = 3.1-3.7), respiratory disease (RR = 1.7, CI = 1.0-2.9), and tendonitis (RR = 1.2, CI = 1.1-1.4).