Citation

Marlenga BL, Berg RL, Linneman JG, Brison RJ, Pickett W. Am. J. Public Health 2007; 97(2): 276-282.

Affiliation

Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2005.078923

PMID

17194860

PMCID

PMC1781414

Abstract

Objective. The child labor laws are intended to protect young workers from the most dangerous jobs. However, children who work on their parents' farms are exempt from these laws. We evaluated the potential for preventing the occurrence of farm injuries among children by changing the US Federal Child Labor Laws, Hazardous Occupations Orders for Agriculture. Methods. A retrospective case series of 1193 farm injuries among children from the United States and Canada was assembled. The Hazardous Occupations Orders were systematically applied to each case to see if they would apply if the exemption were lifted or the age restriction raised and injury preventability was estimated. Results. A total of 286 (24%) cases of injury involved immediate family members engaged in farm work. Among these children, 33% of those younger than 16 years and 36% of those aged 16 or 17 years were performing work prohibited under the Hazardous Occupations Order on non-family farms for children, aged younger than 16 years. Conclusions. Removing the family farm exemption from the Hazardous Occupations Orders and raising the age restriction for performing hazardous agricultural work from 16 to 18 years would be efficacious in preventing the most serious injuries experienced by young family farm workers. Potential reductions in injury would meet Healthy People 2010 goals for reducing traumatic injury in the agricultural sector.

Language: en