Agricultural Injuries and Illnesses in Texas: Using Bureau of Labor Statistics Programs for Surveillance

Abstract

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program and the Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, which are conducted by states in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, can provide some useful prevalence and case characteristic data for states that do not have other comprehensive agricultural injury and illness surveillance programs. In Texas, these programs have been the primary source of surveillance data, despite certain limitations inherent in the programs. CFOI findings for Texas in 1994 indicate a rate of 13 fatal work injuries per 100,000 agricultural workers in Texas, more than twice the rate for all workers in the state. Vehicles and machinery combined accounted for over half of all fatal work injuries in agriculture in the state between 1991 and 1994. Results from the Annual Survey indicate a nonfatal incidence rate of 307 events involving days away from work per 10,000 agricultural workers. Overexertion, falls, and workers struck by objects led all other nonfatal events in the industry in 1993. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com]