Agricultural safety and health is an aspect of occupational safety and health in the agricultural workplace. It specifically addresses the health and safety of farmers, farm workers and their families.
A Fordson Dexta tractor retrofitted to the rollover protection bar.
Contrary to perceived work beliefs and concepts in the agricultural setting, agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States, with several factors causing workplace injuries and death.
Most long-term or short-term injuries common in the profession are hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory diseases, pesticide and chemical poisoning, reproductive problems, and many other ailments. [3] These injuries are mainly caused by loud noise from machinery, stress from handling heavy objects, gases and fumes such as methane and chemicals, and various other causes.
The agriculture industry is one of the most dangerous occupations and has led to thousands of deaths from work-related injuries in the United States. In 2011, the death rate for agricultural workers was 7 times higher than for all workers in the private sector, a difference of 24.9 deaths per 100,000 people versus 3.5 deaths per 100,000 in the private sector.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that 374 farmers and farm workers died from a work-related injury in 2012, with tractor rollovers the number one cause of death. An average of 113 young people aged 16-19 years die each year from agriculture-related injuries (1995-2002). Every day, approximately 167 farm workers are affected by lost work injuries, of which 5% suffer permanent damage. [1] Non-fatal injuries to which farm workers are at high risk include work-related lung problems, noise-induced hearing loss, skin diseases, various cancers from exposure to certain chemicals as well as prolonged sun exposure.
