| |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Inputs: Emerging Issues
The following are a few of the emerging scientific and health issues in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector.
- The Agricultural, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting Sector is being transformed by the implementation of science and technology in almost every step of the agricultural process. For example, global positioning system-controlled tractors are being used in large farms and genetics are being used to reproduce animals with specific characteristics. 1
- Although agricultural methods are constantly transforming through technological innovation, older technology continues to be used, particularly on family farms. For example, approximately half of the 4.8 million tractors in the United States do not have roll-over protective structures (ROPS) installed on tractors manufactured before 1985, when manufacturers voluntarily started installing ROPS on new tractors as standard equipment.
- Adoption of new technologies, such as biotechnology, may benefit productivity, but new technologies can result in unanticipated occupational safety and health risks and benefits. For example, the introduction of a pest-resistant bioengineered crop enables farmers to reduce the use of pesticides, saving pesticide application costs and reducing exposures to pesticides.
- Threats such as avian flu affect the sector economically and also affect the safety and health of exposed workers.
Source
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor [2006]. Career guide to industries, 2006-07 Edition, Agriculture, forestry, and fishing. [ www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs001.htm ]. Date accessed: March 17, 2006. , while not exhaustive, conveys the wide range of organizations served by the NIOSH Program for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.
Page last updated: February 7, 2008
Page last reviewed: May 13, 2008
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
|
 |
NIOSH Program:
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
|
