Nonfatal Agricultural Injuries
This section provides data for answering basic questions about nonfatal injuries among workers and youths exposed to agricultural hazards. These injuries occurred in the following types of operations: farming, agricultural services, forestry, commercial fishing, and commercial hunting. Farming refers to both crop and livestock operations unless otherwise specified.
Data for the figures come from four sources: (1) the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), which is an annual survey of U.S. business establishments that collects data on injuries and illnesses reportable to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); (2) the NIOSH Traumatic Injury Surveillance of Farmers (TISF) survey, which is a farm study on occupational farm injuries for 1993–1995; (3) the NIOSH Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (CAIS), which is a farm survey on farm-related injuries among youths during 1998; and (4) the Minority Farm Operator Childhood Agricultural Injury Study (M–CAIS), a study of farm-related injuries among youths on minority farm operations in 2000.
The number of nonfatal occupational injuries in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry has been slowly increasing, and an estimated 104,400 of these injuries occurred in 2001 (Figure 3–13). Although injury rates in agriculture have declined since 1981, they consistently exceed those in the private sector (Figure 3–14). California had the highest number of nonfatal occupational farming injuries during 1993–1995, followed by Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin (Figure 3–15). Nonfatal occupational farming injuries were highest on cattle, hog, or sheep operations, followed by cash grain and dairy operations (Figure 3–17). Rates for crop and livestock operations were similar (Figure 3–18), and injuries were primarily caused by machinery and livestock (Figure 3–19).
The farming environment is a concern for youths living or working on farms. Nearly 33,000 youths under age 20 were injured on farms in 1998 [Myers and Hendricks 2001]. The major causes of these injuries were falls, animals, and on-farm vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles [Myers and Hendricks 2001]. The rates of both occupational and nonoccupational injuries are higher for youths who reside and work on farms than for youths hired for on-farm labor (Figures 3–20 and 3–21). The Midwest region of the United States had the highest number and rate of occupational on-farm injuries among youths under age 20 in 1998 (6,107 injuries at a rate of 0.95 per 1,000 youths) (Figure 3–23). Youths residing on racial minority and Hispanic farms had the highest numbers and rates of nonfatal injuries—both nonoccupational (Figures 3–26 and 3–30) and occupational (Figures 3–27 and 3–31).
Magnitude and Trend
How did the number of occupational injuries in agriculture, forestry, and fishing change during 1981–2001?
 | Figure 3-13 Number of occupational injuries in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry (excluding farms with fewer than 11 employees), 1981-2001. The number of occupational injuries in agriculture, forestry, and fishing slowly increased from 83,300 injuries in 1982 to 115,400 in 1995. An estimated 104,400 nonfatal occupational injuries occurred in this industry in 2001. (Note: Data before 1992 include fatalities.) (Sources: BLS [2002c]; Myers [2002].) |
How did the annual rates of occupational injuries in agriculture, forestry, and fishing compare with the rates in the private sector during 1981–2001?
 | Figure 3-14 Occupational injury rates in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry (excluding farms with fewer than 11 employees) and the private sector, 1981-2001. Occupational injury rates in agriculture, forestry, and fishing declined from 11.7 per 100 full-time workers in 1981 to 6.8 in 2000. The rate increased slightly in 2001 to 7.0 per 100 full-time workers. Injury rates for agriculture consistently exceeded comparable rates in the private sector. (Note: Data before 1992 include fatalities.) (Sources: BLS [2002c]; Myers [2002].) |
Numbers and Rates among States
How did the number of nonfatal occupational farming injuries differ by State during 1993–1995?
 | Figure 3-15 Number of nonfatal occupational farming injuries by State, 1993-1995. During 1993-1995, the highest numbers of nonfatal occupational farming injuries occurred in California (12,695), Minnesota (11,847), Iowa (11,137), and Wisconsin (10,173). (Note: For reporting purposes, the following States were combined: Alaska and Washington; Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island; Delaware and Maryland; Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont; Montana and Wyoming; and Nevada and Utah.) (Sources: NIOSH [2001b]; Myers [2001c].) |
How did the rates of nonfatal occupational farming injuries differ by State during 1993–1995?
 | Figure 3-16 Rates of nonfatal occupational farming injuries by State, 1993-1995. Mississippi had the highest rate of nonfatal occupational farming injury (14.5 per 100 full-time workers), followed by Alaska and Washington (combined injury rate of 14.3), Arizona (13.7), Ohio (13.1), and Colorado (11.3). (Note: For reporting purposes, the following States were combined: Alaska and Washington; Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island; Delaware and Maryland; Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont; Montana and Wyoming; and Nevada and Utah.) (Sources: BLS [2002b]; NIOSH [2001b]; Myers [2001c].) |
Type of Farm
How did nonfatal occupational farming injuries differ by the type of farm operation during 1993–1995?
 | Figure 3-17 Number of nonfatal occupational farming injuries by type of farm operation, 1993-1995. During 1993-1995, most nonfatal occupational injuries occurred on cattle, hog, or sheep operations, followed by cash grain and dairy operations. (Sources: NIOSH [2001b]; Myers [2001c].) |
How did nonfatal occupational injury rates differ by type of farm operation during 1993–1995?
 | Figure 3-18 Rates of nonfatal occupational farming injuries by type of farm operation, 1993-1995. Nonfatal occupational injury rates were similar for crop and livestock farms during 1993-1995, but rates were slightly higher for crop farms. (Sources: NIOSH [2001b]; Myers [2001c].) |
Source of Injury
What were the leading sources of nonfatal occupational farming injuries during 1993–1995?
 | Figure 3-19 Number of nonfatal occupational farming injuries by leading sources of injury, 1993-1995. Nonfatal occupational farming injuries were primarily caused by machinery and livestock during 1993-1995. Other major sources of injury included working surfaces and hand tools. (Sources: NIOSH [2001b]; Myers [2001c].) |
Youths on Farms
How were injured youths related to the farms where the injuries occurred in 1998?
 | Figure 3-20 Number and rate of all nonfatal on-farm injuries to youths under age 20 by relationship to the farm, 1998. In 1998, farm youths accounted for 25,768 nonfatal on-farm injuries, both occupational and nonoccupational. Household farm youths had a higher overall nonfatal injury rate (1.87 per 100) than youths hired to work on the farm (0.32 per 100). (Note: A probability sample was used to produce different injury estimates. Because of rounding in calculating these estimates, data may not sum to the totals.) (Source: Myers and Hendricks [2001].) |
How were injured youths related to the farms where they were injured while working in 1998?
 | Figure 3-21 Number and rate of nonfatal occupational on-farm injuries to youths under age 20 by relationship to the farm, 1998. In 1998, farm youths under age 20 accounted for 12,382 nonfatal occupational on-farm injuries. Youth visitors and hired youths accounted for similar numbers of occupational injuries (2,208 and 2,127 injuries, respectively). Household farm youths had a higher overall occupational injury rate than youths hired to work on the farm. (Note: A probability sample was used to produce different injury estimates. Because of rounding in calculating these estimates, data may not sum to the totals.) (Source: Myers and Hendricks [2001].) |
How did the number and rate of all nonfatal on-farm injuries differ by U.S. region for youths in 1998?
 | Figure 3-22 Number and rate of all nonfatal on-farm injuries to youths under age 20 by region, 1998. In 1998, the Midwest region of the United States had the highest number of all nonfatal on-farm injuries to youths under age 20 (12,040 injuries), whereas the West had the highest rate of these injuries (1.38 per 100 youths). (Source: Myers and Hendricks [2001].) |
How did the number and rate of nonfatal occupational on-farm injuries differ by U.S. region for youths in 1998?
 | Figure 3-23 Number and rate of occupational on-farm injuries to youths under age 20 by region, 1998. The Midwest region of the United States had the highest number of occupational on-farm injuries to youths in 1998 (6,107 injuries) as well as the highest occupational injury rate (0.95 per 100 youths). (Source: Myers and Hendricks [2001].) |
Youths on Minority Farms
How did the number of nonfatal injuries to youths on racial minority farms differ by race in 2000?
 | Figure 3-24 Number of nonfatal injuries to all youths and working youths under age 20 on racial minority farm operations by race, 2000. On minority farm operations in 2000, the most nonfatal injuries to all youths under age 20 occurred among American Indian or Alaska Native youths (206 injuries), followed by other (105), white youths (92), black youths (78), and Asian or Pacific Islanders (50). Far fewer nonfatal injuries occurred among working youths. (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
How did the number and rate of nonfatal injuries to household youths on racial minority farms differ by race in 2000?
 | Figure 3-25 Number and rate of nonfatal injuries to household youths under age 20 on racial minority farm operations by race, 2000. American Indian and Alaska Native youths had the highest number (177) and rate (24.0 per 1,000 youths) of nonfatal injuries among household youths on minority farm operations. Youths of other races had the second highest number (96) and rate (12.3 per 1,000 youths) of nonfatal injuries among household youths, followed by black youths and Asian or Pacific Islander youths. (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
How did the number and rate of nonfatal injuries to youths on racial minority farms differ by relationship to the farm in 2000?
 | Figure 3-26 Number and rate of nonfatal injuries to youths under age 20 on racial minority farm operations by relationship to the farm, 2000. Household youths had the highest number (348) and rate (12.2 per 1,000 youths) of nonfatal injuries among youths on racial minority farm operations in 2000. Hired workers had the second highest injury rate (2.7 per 1,000 hired working youths) but the lowest number of injuries (20). Visiting relatives accounted for the second highest number of nonfatal youth injuries (124), followed by hired workers (20). (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
How did the number and rate of nonfatal occupational injuries to youths on racial minority farms differ by relationship to the farm in 2000?
 | Figure 3-27 Number and rate of nonfatal occupational injuries to youths under age 20 on racial minority farm operations by relationship to the farm, 2000. Household youths had the highest number (138) and rate (11.7 per 1,000 youths) of nonfatal occupational injuries to youths on racial minority farm operations in 2000. Visiting relatives had the next highest number of injuries (42) and the same rate of nonfatal occupational injuries as hired workers (2.7 per 1,000 youths). (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
What injury hazard accounted for the highest number and rate of nonfatal injuries to household youths on racial minority farm operations in 2000?
 | Figure 3-28 Number and rate of nonfatal injuries to household youths under age 20 on racial minority farm operations by known injury hazard, 2000. Of the four known injury hazards to household youths in 2000, work accounted for the highest number (138) and rate (11.7 per 1,000 youths) of nonfatal injuries to these youths on racial minority farm operations. Horses accounted for the second highest number (60) and rate (8.0 per 1,000 youths) of these nonfatal injuries, followed by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and tractors. (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
Youths on Hispanic Farms
How did the number of nonfatal injuries to youths differ between Hispanic and non-Hispanic youths on Hispanic farm operations in 2000?
 | Figure 3-29 Nonfatal injuries to Hispanic and non-Hispanic youths under age 20 on Hispanic farm operations, 2000. On Hispanic farm operations in 2000, Hispanic youths accounted for much higher numbers of nonfatal injuries (289) and occupational nonfatal injuries (124) than did non-Hispanic youths. (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
How did the number and rate of nonfatal injuries to youths on Hispanic farms differ by relationship to the farm in 2000?
 | Figure 3-30 Number and rate of nonfatal injuries to youths under age 20 on Hispanic farm operations by relationship to the farm, 2000. Household youths had the highest number (256) and rate (14.2 per 1,000) of nonfatal injuries to youths on Hispanic farm operations in 2000. Visiting relatives accounted for an additional 58 injuries on these farms, followed by other visitors (33 injuries). Hired workers accounted for the lowest number of nonfatal injuries to youths (17), but they had the second highest injury rate (3.3 per 1,000 youths). (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
How did the number and rate of nonfatal occupational injuries to youths on Hispanic farms differ by relationship to the farm in 2000?
 | Figure 3-31 Number and rate of nonfatal occupational injuries to youths under age 20 on Hispanic farm operations by relationship to the farm, 2000. On Hispanic farm operations in 2000, household youths had a much higher number (114) of occupational injuries than nonhousehold youths, and their rate of injury (14.4 per 1,000 youths) was 8 times the rate for nonhousehold working youths (1.7 per 1,000 youths). (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
What injury hazard accounted for the highest number and rate of nonfatal injuries to youths on Hispanic farms in 2000?
 | Figure 3-32 Number and rate of nonfatal injuries to household youths under age 20 on Hispanic farm operations by known injury hazard, 2000. Of the four recognized hazards to household youths in 2000, work accounted for the highest number (114) and rate (14.4 per 1,000 youths) of nonfatal injuries to these youths on Hispanic farm operations. Horses accounted for the second highest number (31) and rate (5.8 per 1,000 youths) of these nonfatal injuries, followed by ATVs and tractors. (Source: Myers et al. [2003].) |
