Search

Foreign workers have become an important part of the workforce on horticulture and livestock farms in Finland. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of foreign workers regarding their working and living conditions. We conducted semistructured theme interviews during two time periods: in 2008-2009 (n = 40 workers on eight farms) and again in 2018-2019 (n = 9 workers on four farms). We found variations in expectations and goals among workers when they take a job abroad. Compelling factors in the origin country included unemployment, low wages, and low standards of living, and enticing factors in the destination country included social relationships and expectations of better income. Personal networks had a strong role in the recruiting processes. Work on farms is physically demanding, and being a foreign worker affects social life in many ways, such as being separated from family and facing pressures from the home community to arrange jobs for others. New communication technologies have improved possibilities to stay in contact. Employers could contribute to better working and living conditions for foreign workers by improving work organization, ergonomics at work, orientation of new workers, and continued training of supervisors. Worker orientation and training should be carefully planned, taking into consideration the limited language skills, work competence requirements, and possibilities for career advancement of the workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on earlier studies, farmers have poorer work ability compared to workers in most other occupations. The aim of this study was to explore if organic production has a positive effect on producers' work ability while controlling for demographic and production characteristics. This study used telephone interview data collected by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in 2014-2015. The material consisted of 2,164 farmers: 231 in organic production and 1,933 in conventional production. Work ability was measured with a single question regarding the farmers' current work ability compared with their lifetime best on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 meaning unable to work. The data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Organic production had a negative effect on work ability, while larger farm size, experiencing economic uncertainty rarely/never/occasionally (vs. often), age under 55 years, having occupational health coverage, and experiencing low amounts of physical strain or mental strain had positive effects in a multivariable model. While this study could not consider potential biases from the farmers' existing health status at the time of switching to organic production and other sources, it is clear that greater attention needs to be paid to improving worker health, safety, and wellness in organic farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is known as a hazardous industry worldwide, although there are great challenges in enumerating the size of the workforce and numbers of accidents at work. The aim of the study was to characterize variation in agricultural accident statistics in European countries and opportunities to improve collection and reporting of accident data in agriculture on the national and European levels. This study explored the incidence of fatal (FA) and non-fatal work accidents (NFA) in agriculture (excluding forestry and fishing) in selected European countries, using Eurostat and national sources in 2013. Eurostat reported highest NFA rates (per 100,000 workers) in Finland (5331) and lowest in Greece (5). The highest FA rate was reported in Malta (51), while zero fatalities were reported in Estonia, Greece, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Sweden and Iceland. Eurostat and national statistics differed in many cases. Some variations were observed in European and national statistics. Germany reported 89 fatalities (rate 2.3/100,000) in Eurostat and 160 (rate 16.3/100,000) in national sources. Poland, with a similar land area and five times more farms and workers as Germany, reported only 4 fatalities in agriculture in Eurostat. The Estonian Labour Inspectorate (2013) registered 785 NFAs per 100,000 agricultural workers, while the rate in Eurostat was more than twice as high (1914/100,000). Finland and Sweden with similar agricultural structures had a ten-fold difference in NFA rates in Eurostat; Finland 5,331 and Sweden 554 per 100,000 workers. These examples illustrate the large variation in agricultural accident statistics due to: a) farm structure, b) use of reference populations, c) under-reporting, d) different inclusion/exclusion criteria and e) interpretation by users. Some inconsistencies are structural due to lacking social insurance schemes for farmers, family labour and undocumented workers. Some inconsistencies could be addressed by better implementation of ESAW harmonizing rules. Alternative methods, such as standardized surveys, could be considered to augment Eurostat statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to evaluate the frequency of farm management-related risk factors for occupational injuries among full-time farmers in Finland. The authors state that interventions are needed among male full-time farmers in their thirties since they are under heavy financial burden and stress. They mention that the Farmers' Occupational Health Services (FOHS) should consider perceived high injury risk and stress as indicators on the need for injury prevention measures

The article presents a study which determines the factors affecting the adoption of safety improvements on farms in Finland. Barriers in implementing safety improvements are highlighted which include limited resources, personal characteristics of the farmer and slow evolution of the physical farm environment. A conceptual model developed in the study for implementing safety and health interventions is described.

The article explores the prevalence of and risk factors for declined work ability among dairy farmers in Finland. It suggests that interventions are needed among older farmers and farmers with injuries or diseases to restore their work ability. It highlights the importance of organizing both farm and domestic work with sufficient rest, leisure time, and mental breaks.

The article presents suggestions on safer animal handling with the use of results on a study of women dairy farmers in Finland. Experiences from some farms suggested that work at dairy farm can be relatively safe and that to improve the trust between the cows and handlers plays a role in safety. Practical guidelines on how to set a good-cow handler relationship based on the findings were also discussed.

The article focuses on the conduct of postal survey to characterize the work ability and to identify the demographic groups of dairy farmers in Finland who are at risk of disability. It discloses the use of Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaire to collect the information and to compare the demographical characteristics of the respondents. It asserts that interventions should be provided to older dairy farmers and female dairy farmers to improve their work ability

The article discusses the study that evaluates the slip, trip and fall (STF) injuries as well as floor-related safety problems in the agricultural industry in Finland. It reveals that 42 percent of the injuries occurred in dairy, beef and swine production while STF are common in milking and moving feed. It indicates that most of the injuries happened when carrying, pushing or lifting a load, however, it is difficult to determine the risk between male and female. It suggests to improve the safety performance of floor and related structures such as contamination control and storage spaces.

Research indicates that dairy farmers have an elevated risk of work-related adverse health outcomes. This case-control study evaluated the characteristics of and risk factors for compensated occupational injury and disease claims among Finnish dairy farmers. The cases consisted of 19 farm couples in which both spouses had a history of multiple claims. There were 283 claims in total, a rate of 26.6 claims per 100 person-years. The controls consisted of 12 couples in which neither spouse had compensated or rejected claims during their work history as insured farmers. A combined mail/telephone survey charted potential risk factors for compensated claims. These claims frequently involved work tasks and causes related to animal husbandry. Cattle were the most common cause for injuries in general and for serious injuries in particular. Gender differences in farm work and claims were observed. Using logistic regression analyses, we identified personal and work-related risk factors including long work history, small-scale dairy farm operation, and conventional stanchion barn for dairy cattle. Outdated working conditions, while not statistically significant, were positively associated with claims as well. Declined current work ability and musculoskeletal or respiratory conditions were significantly associated with claims where each of these outcomes may contribute to the other. Identified factors could be used to select subgroups of dairy farmers with either elevated or reduced risk of claims. Prevention of adverse health outcomes could be most effective when targeted to farmers at highest risk of occupational injury and disease.