Introduction

According to the USDA, 21 million full-time and part-time jobs in the United States in 2015 were related to the agricultural, farm and food sectors.

Direct on-farms employment accounted for about 2.6 million of these jobs. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 472,000 youth performed farms work and about 259,000 youth were hired to work on U.S. farms in 2012.

Farm Field Injuries

A few field dangers cause many farm-related injuries and fatalities. In 2014, the CDC estimated that there were 58,385 adult farm injuries.

The number of agricultural work-related injuries declined from 87,503 in 2001 to 47,332 in 2009 and then, unfortunately, increased to 58,385 in 2014. Accordingly, every day about 160 agricultural workers suffer a lost-worktime injury.

Moreover, 5 percent of these injuries result in permanent impairment. An estimated 14,000 youth were injured on farms; 2,700 of these injuries were due to farm work in 2012.

Causes of Farm Injuries

The primary cause of injury has largely remained unchanged, with persons, plants, animals, materials, tools, instruments, equipment and other causes responsible for the majority of work-related injuries in agriculture.

In 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 459 farmers and farm workers died from a work-related injury, resulting in a fatality rate of 21.7 deaths per 100,000 workers, which is about twofold that for the next highest industries of mining and transportation and warehousing.

Injury and death rates in almost every survey published are higher from April to September for agricultural work, when most farm activities occur.

In statistics reported in 1996 by the National Safety Council, the major causes of agricultural-related fatalities were tractors (37%) and agricultural machinery (17%).

Farm Tractors

Fatalities caused by tractors included tractor overturns, running over victims, jump-starting tractors, hitching equipment or folding equipment for road travel.

Farm tractor accidents still remain the leading cause of death and injury on farms.

Fortunately, most modern tractors used for crop production have a roll-over protective structure (ROPS).

The risk of serious injury from an overturn is lower if the operator fastens the seat belt on a tractor equipped with ROPS.

Practicing this safety habit may also reduce injury from traffic collisions.

Operating a tractor, sprayer or combine too fast for conditions causes many overturns.

Turning too short can cause an overturn.

Misjudging the distance from an embankment can be serious because the bank may crumble under the weight of the tractor or implement.

Farm Safety Tips

The following are a few tips that might help keep producers safe while performing farm activities:

• Whether calibrating a planter or sprayer or moving a combine, don’t move equipment until you see that everyone is out of danger. Starting a tractor in gear from the starter terminal (jump-starting) is a common reason farm workers have been run over. Transmission interlocks prevent tractors from starting in gear, unless the safety is bypassed. A farm worker does not have enough time to jump out of the way of a tractor left in gear before the engine builds hydraulic pressure and the tractor rolls over the worker.

• Whenever noise prevents you from hearing someone speaking to you, stop the engine and what you are doing and move to where you can talk to clear up any confusion. Hand signals are easily misunderstood, unless both individuals understand the meaning of a hand movement in advance. It takes good communication and cooperation for two people to safely hitch heavy toolbars or towed equipment. Make sure signals are not confusing before moving the tractor to align the connection.

• Most tractor rollovers are the result of going too fast, turning too short or operating too close to embankments that may crumble under the weight. Injuries and death also occur from colli-sions with other vehicles when a tractor or other farm vehicle is operated on roads and highways.

• Combine entanglements are rare the first time the machine is choked and plugged. It is the fourth time, fifth time or later, when the operator is tired or irritated, is in a hurry and has a lapse in judgment. Vibration and excessive noise dull an alert person’s sense to hazards. Since fatigue slows reaction time, rest breaks help refresh the body. Falls from combines, grain bins, etc., may be prevented with proper work platforms or sturdy ladders.