NIOSH Program Portfolio : Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing : Occupational Risks

NIOSH Programs > Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing > Occupational Risks

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

Inputs: Occupational Safety and Health Risks

More than 3.1 million workers were employed in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry during 2001. Compared with all industries, agriculture employed proportionately more workers aged 16-19 (7.2% versus 5.1% for all industries) and workers aged 55 and older (22.9% versus 13.6% for all industries) [BLS 2001b]. Farm tractors accounted for 2,165 fatal occupational injuries during 1992-2001 and were the leading source of these deaths in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Trucks and fishing boats were also major sources of death in this industry and accounted for 795 and 434 fatal occupational injuries, respectively. [BLS [ 2002a ]; Myers [ 2003]. During 1992-1997, machinery caused 1,021 fatal occupational injuries and was the leading cause of these deaths in agriculture, forestry, and fishing as reported on death certificates. The next leading causes of these deaths were motor vehicles (624 fatalities) and falls (235 fatalities).
Source: NIOSH Worker Health Chartbook, 2004

Fatalities

In 2004, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industries recorded 659 fatal work injuries. In 2003, the majority of fatal injuries in these industries occurred in crop production.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2004
External Link: http:// stats.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm

Fatal occupational injuries* by private industry ^† and selected event or exposure, 2004
Sector / program	Fatalities		Selected event or exposure §
	Number	Percent	Highway	Homicide	Falls	Contact with Object
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	659	12	15	1	5	21
Crop production	317	6	15	1	4	17
Animal production	141	2	15	-	11	10
Forestry and logging	106	2	17	-	3	60
Fishing, hunting and trapping	37	1	-	-	-	-
Agriculture and forestry support activities	45	1	16	-	-	11

* Totals include data for industries not shown separately.

† Based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2002.

§ The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that industry group.

Source: Fatal occupational injuries by industry and selected event or exposure, 2004
External Link: External Link: http:// www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.t02.htm

Additional BLS occupational fatality information can be found in the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
External Link: http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.toc.htm

Nonfatal injuries and illnesses

Sector

In 2004, the total reported nonfatal injuries and illnesses declined in private industry workplaces. While the incidence rate for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing was significantly higher than that of private industry in 2004, the number of injury and illness cases, as well as the incidence rate, remained relatively unchanged from 2003.

Source: BLS Workplace Injury and Illness Summary
External link: http:// stats.bls.gov/news.release/osh.nr0.htm

Detailed data on nonfatal injuries and illnesses in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector can be found in the following table:

Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by industry and selected events or exposures leading to injury or illness, 2004
External link: http:// stats.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1514.txt

Additional BLS data on Case and Demographic Characteristics for Work-related Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away From Work
External Link: http:// stats.bls.gov/iif/oshcdnew.htm

NIOSH Worker Health Chartbook, 2004
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2004 - 146
The Worker Health Chartbook, 2004 is a descriptive epidemiologic reference on occupational morbidity and mortality in the United States. A resource for agencies, organizations, employers, researchers, workers, and others who need to know about occupational injuries and illnesses, the Chartbook includes more than 400 figures and tables describing the magnitude, distribution, and trends of the Nation's occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

NOTE: Data presented in this document are based on the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), which does not correspond directly with the 2002 NAICS. For information on converting 1987 SIC codes to 2002 NAICS codes, see: http:// www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/S87TON02.HTM