Farm work is hard work, and farm workers feel the results. Farm workers get backaches and pains in the shoulders, arms, and hands more than any other health problem. A third of the injuries that cause them to miss work are sprains and strains, and a quarter are back injuries. These are also the most common causes of disability.

NIOSH believes that better work practices and tools will reduce the sprains and strains of farm work.

The technical term for these sprains and strains is "work-related musculoskeletal disorders" (WMSDs). WMSDs hurt! They hurt:

• workers' bodies
• workers' earnings
• growers' profits

In California agriculture alone, the annual workers' compensation costs for the more than 3,000 back injuries that happen each year may be over $22 million.

This pamphlet is about early intervention to prevent such injuries. It is directed toward growers, safety specialists, human resources managers-anyone with an interest in having safe farms.

Over the years, many kinds of farm work have not changed much at all. Field work is still done in a stooped position. Workers carry heavy weights in awkward positions, kneel often, work with their arms above shoulder level, or move their hands and wrists repetitively. Sometimes the whole body is subject to vibration from farm equipment. When workers are paid on piece rate, they have a reason to keep up a rapid, sustained pace. Overexertion intensifies all the other risk factors.

Many people in the farm industry may believe that these kinds of tasks-and the resulting sprains and strains-are just an unavoidable part of farm work. But NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) asked university researchers, specialists in the science of ergonomics, to look into how farm work could be made safer. They worked with growers and employees on different types of farms to come up with some simple, practical, inexpensive solutions. This pamphlet is a result of that hands-on cooperation.

As you read this pamphlet, the specific solutions may or may not apply to your particular operation. But we think you'll learn three things from it anyway:

• what sorts of work are most likely to cause injuries
• basic ergonomic rules of thumb for working more safely
• inspiration to sit down with employees and come up with some simple solutions of your own

The ideas in this pamphlet can be adapted for many types of crops and for different sizes of farm operation.

Don't get discouraged if some solutions seem out of reach. A small tool change or adjustment in the work layout can make a big difference in preventing injuries. Good luck!

These suggestions can be adapted for your own farm.