Abstract
Agriculture has historically been one of the most hazardous of all occupations, with a variety of potential safety risks to workers and even higher risks documented for older agricultural workers. This study was undertaken to document and summarize Indiana farm work-related fatalities involving persons 55 years and older over the 30 year period from 1988 to 2017. Data were mined from the Purdue University Agricultural Safety and Health Program’s Fatality Database that dates back to the 1960s. A total of 388 fatalities involving persons 55 years and older was documented. The average age of the victims was 69.3 years old, and an overwhelming majority of the cases involved males (96.1%). The average number of deaths per year has remained fairly consistent, though it has occasionally been erratic, with an unanticipated increase in the number of documented fatalities over the period 2012–2017. There appeared to be a direct positive correlation between the level or intensity of agricultural production in a county and the frequency of fatalities. The type of fatal injury most commonly reported was crush/run-over, with 229 cases (59%). The most common agent or source of injury involved was tractors, with 157 cases (40.5%). Another noted contributing factor was the high frequency of incidents in which the victim was reported to be working alone at the time of death. Findings will be used to develop evidence-based injury prevention strategies, including the development of agricultural safety training materials and methods more relevant to older farmers. A special emphasis should be placed on reducing the risk of tractor and farm machinery overturns, especially when older, non-roll over protection structure (ROPS) equipped tractors are being operated.
Highlights
The purpose of this summary was to identify the primary contributing factors of Indiana farm work-related fatalities involving agricultural producers 55 years of age and older
This study identified the most prevalent types of contributing injury agents and reported types of fatal injuries, as well as other demographic factors of Indiana farmers 55 years and older
The data are important to help guide the development and delivery methods of agricultural safety material to create a safer worker environment by illustrating what risks are most prevalent for older farm workers
Summary
The purpose of this summary was to identify the primary contributing factors of Indiana farm work-related fatalities involving agricultural producers 55 years of age and older. It was anticipated that findings would provide a detailed look at documented characteristics and trends of fatalities over the 30 year period from 1988 to 2017, with an analysis of selected causative factors. The research was undertaken in response to the recent upward trend in the number of annual fatalities documented within this age group. The average age of U.S farm operators has been on the rise for the past 30 years, with the average going from 50.5 in 1982, to 58.3 in 2012, and to 59.4 in 2017 [1,2,3]. The three highest age categories for principal operator—55 to years old, to years old, and years and older—showed an increase of 1.9%, 7.6%, and 5.8% from 2007 to 2012 and 28.8%, 45.0%, and 35.1% from 2012 to 2017, respectively [1,2,4].
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