Promoting farming sustainability: The effects of age, training, history of accidents and social-psychological variables on the adoption of on-farm safety behaviors

Severity of Agricultural Injuries and Its Economic Consequences in Border Belt of Gurdaspur District of Punjab, India

OBJECTIVES

This study collected data related to agricultural injuries, analyzed their causes, and suggested possible remedial actions. Few studies from developing countries have investigated this important topic. Such investigations are extremely important and are required to frame national policies.

METHODS

A well-designed structured form was developed to collect and evaluate data on agricultural incidents, their causes, the severity of injuries, and possible prevention methods. The authors followed a door-to-door survey methodology to collect data with the help of local village leaders.

RESULTS

Less educated and older adults in the age group 31 to 45 years were more prone to agricultural incidents (p < .05). The mean age of the victims was 35.02 years (95% CI 32.7 to 37.3); 124 (91.18%) of the victims were men; and 21 (15.4%) of the cases were fatal. Tractor rollovers caused most of the deaths. Chaff cutters were responsible for most of the incidents that required amputation. Eighteen (45%) of the chaff-cutter incidents occurred in the evening between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM, and 12 (30%) of these incidents occurred due to fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors strongly recommend that rollover protective structures (ROPS) for tractors and seat belts should be made mandatory in India. Public guidelines emphasizing mandatory higher education for farmers and a model curriculum for both schools and colleges that focuses on the safety of rural populations should be developed. Special training should be provided on the safe operation of machinery and a definitive work - rest schedule should be followed to prevent fatigue and protect agricultural workers from incidents.

Individual self-regulation, external monitoring, and farmers' safe production behavior: Evidence from the Kuan-chung Plain, China

Sustainable agricultural development requires comprehending the fundamental factors influencing farmers' adoption of safe production behavior. This study investigates intrinsic and extrinsic determinants, encompassing the influence of individual self-regulation and external monitoring, regarding the endorsement of safe labor practices among farmers in Kuan-Chung Plain, China. The findings underscore the pivotal role of personal self-regulation in stimulating farmers' implementation of safe production behavior. Additionally, governmental and public monitoring can act as catalysts, motivating farmers to shift from conventional agricultural production methods to safer alternatives. Moreover, the results revealed that a synergistic effect arises from the collaboration between public and governmental monitoring, combined with individual self-regulation. This collaborative approach significantly enhances farmers' propensity to embrace safe production behavior. Hence, policymakers should prioritize educating farmers on ethical restraint, optimizing policy strategies, and strengthening supervision practices to establish an effective platform for public monitoring. These measures will augment farmers' comprehension of the significance of safe production behavior and empower them to proactively implement these behaviors.

Reducing workplace unsafe behaviour using risk classification, profiling, risk tolerance approach

Individuals' risk tolerance capacity is one of the primary reasons for their unsafe behaviour at the workplace and is commonly identified as an important causal factor for the majority of workplace accidents. Research has exhibited the significance of individuals' risk tolerance while dealing with risk at workplace. However, limited research is done to explore the influence of various factors on individuals' risk tolerance. In this paper, questionnaire survey (42 questions based on the 36 factors) data were gathered from 606 miners (various category) belonging from three major coal producing subsidiary of northern India. Based on the responses received on the questionnaire survey, (1) Statistical method is used to identify the critical factors (10 critical factors) among all; (2) risk classification (Personal Protective Equipment, operational and others-3 way) system was introduced based on the nature of risk being taken; and (3) organisational risk profiling was done. The methodology of risk profiling and risk classification introduced in this paper will help the organisation identify the critical groups and the nature of the risks being taken, respectively. Further, by considering the combined effect of all three outcomes, necessary compliances can be carried out like design of training module, framing of safety policies and deployment of suitable manpower.