Citation

Scott EE, Dalton DB. J. Agromed. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health/Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, New York, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/1059924X.2020.1720883

PMID

31994995

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Agriculture remains one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. Fatal injury reports influence outreach and education training topics and assist in prioritizing research efforts and federal funding priorities. News stories of agricultural fatalities are routinely collected and cataloged by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH).

METHODS: The database was queried for agricultural fatalities in New York State between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018. Descriptive statistics were calculated based on a variety of factors including age, gender, geographic location, type of event, and source of injury. The 2017 Census of Agriculture data was used to calculate denominator data for persons at risk.

RESULTS: Over the ten-year period from 2009 to 2018, one hundred sixty-nine (169) people were killed in agricultural injury events in New York. The most frequent cause of fatality was tractor related incidents, comprising nearly half of all fatalities (44%). There were 14 deaths of children nine and younger and an additional 11 deaths of adolescents between 10-19 years old. Steuben County had the highest rate of fatal injury at 20.9/100,000 FTE, followed by Jefferson County at 19.4/100,000 FTE.

CONCLUSIONS: While the rates of workers killed on the job have dramatically dropped in many industries, agricultural fatalities remain stubbornly elevated above the all-worker fatality rate of 3.5/100,000 FTE. These data, along with non-fatal injury data, should be used to guide prevention and intervention activities. Such loss of life should underscore the tremendous stress the agricultural community is under, and serve to funnel resources to strengthen these communities, businesses and workers.

Language: en

Keywords

Agriculture; New York; media reports; news clippings; occupational fatality