Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Farming is one of the few industries in which the families (who often share the work and live on the premises) are also at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries.

• Approximately 185,000 full-time workers were employed in production agriculture in the U.S. in 2002. (The number of full-time production agriculture workers has been on a gradual decline, with the number dipping below 2 million in 1999-2000 for the first time since workforce data has been collected.)



• An estimated 1.26 million children and adolescents under 20 years of age resided on farms in 1998, with about 725,000 of these youth performing work on the farms. In addition to the youth who live on farms, over 666,000 children and adolescents were hired to work on U.S. farms in 1998.



• On average, 103 children are killed annually working on farms (1990-1996).



• In 1998, an estimated 32,000 children and adolescents were injured performing farm work.



• In an average year, 110 American farm workers are crushed to death by tractor rollovers (1992-2000).



• Every day, about 500 agricultural workers suffer lost-work-time injuries, and about 5% of these result in permanent impairment.

In FY 1990, Congress directed NIOSH to develop an extensive agricultural safety and health program to address the high risks of injuries and illnesses experienced by workers and families in agriculture. NIOSH funds research and prevention programs at university centers in 20 states. These programs conduct research on injuries associated with different farm operations, as well as pesticide exposure, pulmonary disease, musculoskeletal disorders, hearing loss, and stress.

Selected NIOSH Publications and Websites on Agricultural Safety

National Agricultural Safety Database (NASD) Website

The National Agriculture Safety Database (NASD) is a collection of information about health, safety and injury prevention in agriculture. The information in the database was contributed by safety professionals and organizations from across the nation in an effort to promote safety in agriculture.

Fatal Unintentional Farm Injuries Among Persons Less Than 20 Years of Age in the United States: Geographic Profiles, NIOSH (DHHS) Publication No. 2001-131 (July 2001)

Youth on farms may be exposed to a wide range of hazards, including machinery, electric current, firearms, bodies of water, grain storage facilities, and livestock. As a place of work and a place of residence, the farm presents unique challenges for injury prevention. This document presents data by state, Census region, and Census division for all youth fatalities on U.S. farms between 1982 and 1996. These data, drawn from the Vital Statistics Mortality files of the National Center for Health Statistics, indicate that nearly 2,200 youth were fatally injured on farms during this 15-year period, and that the leading causes of death varied considerably across geographic areas.

Injuries Among Youth on Farms in the United States, 1998, NIOSH (DHHS) Publication No. 2001-154 (June 2001)--

More than two million youth less than 20 years of age are potentially exposed to agricultural hazards each year--as farm residents, farm family workers, hired workers, children of migrant or seasonal workers, or farm visitors. This document presents national and regional data for nonfatal youth injuries on U.S. farms for 1998. These data, drawn from a special survey of farm operators across the U.S., indicate that nearly 33,000 youth were injured on farms during 1998, and that major causes of injury included falls, animals, and vehicles such as ATVs.

Injuries Among Farm Workers in the United States, 1995, NIOSH (DHHS) Publication No. 2001-153 (May 2001)--

The intent of this document is to present the third and
final year of the Traumatic Injury Survey of Farming (TISF) results in an easily accessible statistical abstract format. This is the third in the series of TISF reports [Myers: 1997; Myers, 1998]. No attempt is made to interpret the results presented here because of the quantity of data presented, and because these data represent only one part of a more complex survey. It is hoped that the data will be used by public health and safety professionals, engineers, and other groups working in the area of farm safety to injury control research.

NIOSH Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Initiative Website

This Website compiles all current NIOSH information on childhood agricutural injury and the federal initiative implemented to address this problem. Resources include recent publications, fatality investigation reports, and links to relevant external Websites.

NIOSH Agricultural Safety and Health Topic Page (Website)

This list of NIOSH resources contains links to publications and Websites on safety and health topics.

Other Websites-Agricultural (Website)

This is a list of Websites of other organizations external to NIOSH.

NIOSH Alert: Preventing Phosphine Poisoning and Explosions during Fumigation, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-126 (September 1999)

Phosphide fumigants release toxic phosphine gas (PH3) when they contact moisture in the air. When phosphine is inhaled, it can react with moisture in the lungs to form phosphoric acid, which can cause blistering and edema. These effects can be serious or fatal. Exposure to phosphine has also been linked with other effects such as chest tightness, headache, dizziness, and nausea. Also, improper handling of aluminum and magnesium phosphide has caused injuries from flash fires and explosions. This Alert describes 205 cases of illness or injury in workers exposed to phosphine gas associated with phosphide fumigants. Recommendations are provided for workers and employers that cover areas such as: aeration and re-entry after fumigation, industrial hygiene monitoring, personal hygiene, protective clothing, and respirators.

New Directions in the Surveillance of Hired Farm Worker Health and Occupational Safety: A Report of the Work Group Convened by NIOSH, May 5, 1995, to Identify Priorities for Hired Farm Worker Occupational Health Surveillance and Research (1998)

As part of its agricultural safety and health initiative, NIOSH convened a work group in May 1995 consisting of experts in the areas of public policy, farm worker health, and occupational health, to assist in developing a prioritized set of objectives for the surveillance of hired farm worker occupational safety and health. New Directions in the Surveillance of Hired Farm Worker Health and Occupational Safety is the report to NIOSH from that work group. In addition to priorities for surveillance and research of the occupational safety and health of hired farm workers, this comprehensive report outlines the factors that determine the occupational health status of hired farm workers. It also suggests recommendations for overcoming barriers involved in research with this population.

Recommendations to Improve Safety in Potato Harvesting and Packing in Southern Colorado, HHE-980172

NIOSH provided assistance on a study related to injuries in the potato production and packing industry. This work was conducted under an agricultural health hazard evaluation (HHE) requested by Colorado State University (CSU) which involves defining the extent and nature of injuries in the industry and advising farmers and packers about effective controls to reduce the risk of injury. NIOSH researchers, in collaboration with CSU, visited a number of harvesting and packing operations. During the walk-throughs, the team collected data and provided verbal suggestions concerning equipment modifications to reduce the risk of hand and back injuries. This is a summary report with specific recommendations for the industry.

Hazard ID #4: Ignition Hazard from Drilling into Sealed Frames of Agricultural Equipment, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-146 (July 1998)

NIOSH received two separate reports of farm workers who were injured while attempting to drill holes into sealed plow frames in order to mount a hitch or a "slow-moving vehicle" sign. These workers received serious skin burns and other injuries when the drill bits penetrated the frames releasing and igniting flammable gases. Hydrogen and methane gas may be produced within sealed frames that are filled during manufacture with scrap metal ballast. Although the reported ignitions involved plows from the same manufacturer, the use of scrap metal fill may not be unique to plows or to that manufacturer. The potential for such ignitions exists in any equipment with similar ballast in sealed compartments during drilling, cutting, welding, or other operations that both release the gases and provide an ignition source. This Hazard ID provides recommendations for agricultural workers, equipment manufacturers, equipment dealers, agricultural extension agents, and universities in dealing with this hazard.

Safe Grain and Silage Handling, NIOSH (DHHS) Pub. No. 95-109 (October 1995)

Grain-handling machinery is the second largest cause of farm machinery related deaths and also causes many severe disfiguring injuries and amputations. Many grain-handling hazards can be avoided. The goal of this booklet is to point out these hazards and suggest practical ways to prevent injury. These suggestions were gathered from agricultural engineers and safety experts throughout the world, but primarily from the United States and Canada.

NIOSH ALERT:Preventing Scalping and Other Severe Injuries from Farm Machinery, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 94-105 (June 1994)

This Alert describes five cases of persons who were scalped when their hair became entangled around the inadequately guarded rotating drivelines or shafts of farm machinery driven by power take-offs (PTOs). Such entanglements of hair, clothing, or body parts kill and injure many farm workers each year. The recommendations in this Alert are provided tol help prevent these entanglement injuries and deaths.

NIOSH ALERT: Preventing Deaths of Farm Workers in Manure Pits
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 90-103 (May 1990)

This Alert describes seven deaths from asphyxiation (suffocation) that occurred during two incidents involving entry into manure pits. The recommendations included in this Alert should be followed by all farm owners and operators who have manure pits on their property. Editors of appropriate trade journals, agriculture extension agents, farm owners and operators, and those in the agricultural trades are requested to bring the recommendations in this Alert to the attention of all workers who are at risk.

NIOSH ALERT: Preventing Entrapment and Suffocation Caused by the Unstable Surfaces of Stored Grain and Other Materials
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 88-102 (December 1987)

Entrapment and suffocation are hazards associated with storage bins and hoppers where loose materials such as grain, sand, or gravel are stored, handled, or transferred. The fatalities described in this Alert occurred when suspended materials or crusted surfaces of stored material suddenly broke loose and entrapped the workers. The behavior of such material is unpredictable, and entrapment and burial can occur in a matter of seconds. This Alert recounts seven case reports describing the deaths of 12 workers. In each case, the workers became entrapped in grain or other loose material and were unable to free themselves or be freed by their co-workers. These deaths demonstrate the need to focus on preventing future fatalities.

NIOSH ALERT: Preventing Grain Auger Electrocutions
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 86-119 (July 1986)

This Alert requests the assistance of farm owners/managers, farm/agricultural workers, and farm equipment manufacturers in the prevention of electrocutions which may occur while moving metal grain augers. The grain auger is an essential piece of farm equipment which is used to move grain from one location to another. However, every year accidents occur when this piece of equipment is improperly moved in the elevated position and it comes into contact with high voltage power lines. This has resulted in one or more fatalities per incident. This Alert describes two separate incidents that resulted in five fatalities, and occurred within the same week (150 miles apart), and provides recommendations aimed at preventing auger-related electrocutions.

NIOSH ALERT: Preventing Fatalities Due to Fires and Explosions in Oxygen-Limiting Silos
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 86-118 (July 1986)

This Alert requests the assistance of fire department personnel, farm owners and workers, and silo manufacturers in the prevention of fatalities due to fires and explosions occurring in oxygen-limiting silos. Several recent incidents occurred while fighting oxygen-limiting silo fires which resulted in the death of fire fighters. Other fire fighters lost their lives as a result of similar explosions in the late 1960s. The problems associated with burning silos appeared to have abated during recent years, but these incidents demonstrate the need to renew efforts to minimize their recurrence. A concerted effort should be made to prevent silo fires from occurring and to provide training programs on controlling this type of fire.

Fatality Investigation Reports (conducted under the FACE Program)

Since the inception of the FACE program in 1982, several fatal incidents involving agricultural activities have been investigated by NIOSH and over 200 fatal incidents involving agricultural activities have been investigated by State investigators. This link provides a list of those cases which in turn links to the full-text reports on the FACEWeb.

Other NIOSH Publications related to Agricultural Safety:

NIOSH ALERT: Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid Steer Loaders. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-117 (February 1998)

NIOSH ALERT: Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Adolescent Workers. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 95-125 (May 1995)

NIOSH ALERT: Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Small Gasoline-Powered Engines and Tools. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-118

Other Links of Interest:

Migrant and Seasonal Hired Adolescent Farmworkers: A Plan to Improve Working Conditions. Recommendations from the National Adolescent Farmworker Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Committee. National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, WI.