Citation

Adekoya N, Myers JR. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 1999; 41(8): 699-705.

Affiliation

Division of Safety Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WVa. 26505, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10457514

Abstract

Data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries surveillance system from 1992 through 1996 were analyzed to allow a better understanding of exposures to harmful substances or environments that resulted in agricultural work fatalities. There were 357 fatalities as a result of these exposures in the agriculture production and agriculture services sectors, representing 10% of all work-related deaths that occurred in these industry sectors during this period. Contact with electric current represented 52.9% of these fatalities. Agricultural services reported 87 electrocutions, 50 of which occurred among tree trimmers. The events most likely to result in fatalities were contact with overhead power lines (26.3%) and drowning (17.1%). The overall fatality rate was 2.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. The development of appropriate hazard-awareness training for workers, such as that for electrical and drowning-related hazards, may help prevent future deaths in these industry sectors.

Language: en