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The process of improving the health, safety, and well-being of workers in the horticulture and agriculture sectors requires new effective means. The aim of this study was to conduct a qualitative evaluation of a participatory co-creative consultation process in order to improve occupational health and safety in horticultural businesses. The study was conducted across twenty-four small-scale enterprises (totalling eighty-two entrepreneurs and workers) from five different horticultural subsectors in Finland. Each business engaged in the development process, starting from the identification of development needs through to individual interviews and process analysis, and continuing with co-creation and the implementation of solutions. The results indicated that participatory consultation, when combined with a process analysis, was perceived as being very productive, particularly in terms of identifying development needs, but also in inspiring the co-creation of solutions and applying them to specific tasks and the working environment. Whilst long-term effects could not be measured, participation in the development process improved subjective well-being and the competence of entrepreneurs in managing well-being in their work setting. The findings suggest that participatory consultation can facilitate improvements in working conditions, which in turn can help to reduce workplace injuries and improve health conditions. The findings also highlighted the need for having a multidisciplinary consultation team, the effective cooperation of all involved parties, and facilitating peer discussions when it comes to resolving identified challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the ability of both subjective and objective sleep measures to predict balance difficulty in agricultural workers. Seven male farmers from rural Nebraska were analyzed for static balance performance following a bout of sleep. Actiwatches were used to measure objective sleep hours and subjective questionnaires, including the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, were used to measure subjective hours of sleep and sleep quality. The participants were observed for 12 sessions, with six in planting season and six in harvest season. Static balance testing consisted of measuring the area, total displacement, and maximum range in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions of the individual's center of pressure with Tekscan pressure mats. Overall, it was found that objective measures had a higher correlation with the magnitude of balance deviations than subjective measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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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]

Several studies have shown that males are at greater risk of agricultural injuries than females. We investigated if gender division of farm work helps explain this risk difference in the self-employed Finnish farming population. We used insurance claims data and postal survey data charting the relative division of farm work between male and female farmers. Over the five-year study period (2009 to 2013), the average number of farmers was 75,893 (67% males and 33% females). A total of 22,648 occupational injuries (77% males and 23% females) were compensated during that time. Males had significantly higher rates of any, minor, serious, and recurrent injuries compared to females. Altogether, 319 usable responses were received in the postal survey (13% response rate). Both farm work time and occupational injuries differed by gender. Crop production, construction, forestry, and machinery contracting work were male-dominated, whereas females took the main responsibility for domestic and caretaking work. On livestock farms, animal husbandry was divided quite evenly between males and females (56% and 44% contributions, respectively). Animal husbandry-related injuries were distributed similarly (58% males and 42% females), but all other types of injuries occurred mostly to males. These results suggest that the risk of injuries is also nearly equal, given equal work time. Therefore, gender is an indicator of different work exposures in farming, rather than a risk factor for injury. Better understanding of the division of work and the corresponding risk of injuries can help in the design of interventions for males and females in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the work related risk of adverse health outcomes among the dairy farmers in Finland and evaluation of the characteristics and risk factors related to the compensation of the disease claims and occupational injury. It mentions that the claims are related to the causes and work tasks in animal husbandry. It informs that the dairy farmers show the declined work ability and respiratory conditions.

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 presents a cohort study which aims to test the effectiveness of the Certified Safe Farm (CSF) program in reducing agriculture occupational fatality in Iowa. The study reported a total of 1292 safety improvements and found that higher farm review scores are associated with lower self-reported health outcome costs. The study concludes that the program functioned as expected and encourages physical improvements in farm environments.

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.

This article summarizes the qualitative findings from a study evaluating a novel agricultural health and safety program called Certified Safe Farm (CSF). Results are presented from focus groups held in 2002 and 2006 as well as mail-out surveys conducted in 2001 and 2002. Focus group participants and survey responders were farmers involved in CSF intervention studies. CSF aims to remove hazards through on-farm safety reviews, detect health concerns through clinical screenings, provide personalized occupational health and wellness education, and provide incentives for meeting farm safety targets. Farmers overwhelmingly felt that CSF was beneficial for their health and safety by improving their knowledge and behaviors. In both the focus groups and questionnaires, farmers felt that occupational health screening was the most important component of CSF, and on-farm safety review was the second most important component. Farmers also helped to identify areas in which CSF could be improved in the future. Major areas of suggested program improvement included increased involvement of entire farm families, increased enrollment of younger farmers, increased program incentives such as reduced insurance premiums, and increased ease of access to program providers (AgriSafe clinics), among other recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an exploratory, descriptive study based on a convenience sample from a rural nursing service and in-country area farmers from The Gambia. The purpose of the study was to provide descriptive information about agricultural-related injury and illness from area farmers and to obtain data from rural nurses about the time they spent caring for and treating farmers. Employees of the nursing service could read and write English fluently and thus completed a written questionnaire; the area farmers were unable to read and write English so they were interviewed by farm extension workers in their own tribal language. The most alarming findings were the nursing respondents' report of farm workers using pesticides in their homes, the poor condition of pesticide sprayers, and the lack of personal protective equipment. Despite their claim of following pesticide instructions, farm workers reported a surprisingly high number of respiratory and neurological signs and symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the rollover protective structures (ROPS)-related findings from participants in the Keokuk County Rural Health Study in Keokuk, Iowa. The study was designed to measure rural and agricultural adverse health and injury outcomes and their respective risk factors. The results of the study indicate that many older tractors without ROPS and seatbelts were remained in use in the state. It is noted that until a dramatic reduction in the number of tractors without ROPS and seatbelts is achieved, deaths of farm operators associated with tractor overturns will persist.

Focuses on the assessment of injury characteristics and risk factors in the Iowa Certified Farm (CSF) program. Evaluation of the effectiveness of CSF for reducing injuries; List of risk factors contributing to agricultural injury; Impact of fatigue or stress on increasing injuries.

Evaluates the effectiveness of an oil sprinkling system as a dust-reduction method for swine production facilities in the U.S. Average total dust concentration in the control room; Measurement of concentrations of several environmental contaminants; Aid of the treatment using soybean oil and canola oil in reducing dust.

Objectives: This study examined the factors affecting the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among US agriculture producers, specifically focusing on chemical, respiratory, and hearing protection. The primary goals were to identify demographic and farm-related factors linked to lower PPE usage and to explore the associations between PPE use and self-reported injuries or diseases in this occupational context., Methods: We developed generalized multilevel multinomial logistic regressions for the agricultural safety and health survey data from 2018 and 2020. Our models aimed to explore associations between PPE use, covariates, and their impact on skin diseases, hearing loss, and respiratory diseases. The hierarchical structure of the data was accommodated by designating the survey year as the level-3 variable and the state of residence as the level-2 variable, further delineating the nested structure of the respondents. We proposed using Adaptive Quadrature methods to approximate marginal maximum likelihood function, along with Gauss-Hermite quadrature weights when estimating fixed-effects and random effects in the proposed models. Missing data in this hierarchical structure were addressed through a multiple imputation method., Results: Our findings revealed older age is associated with lower PPE usage across all types. Males exhibited higher PPE use, particularly for chemical (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.47) and respiratory protection (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.52). Producers on grain-only farms showed increased chemical PPE use (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.43) compared to those on livestock-only farms. Additionally, individuals spending 0%-24% of their worktime on the farm/ranch demonstrated lower PPE use than those who spent more time engaged in farm-related activities., Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of addressing low PPE usage among agriculture producers. Interventions tailored to specific groups, such as female producers, livestock-only farms, older-aged producers, and part-time producers, can effectively improve PPE use. By identifying these high-risk groups, interventions can be better adapted and targeted to enhance the adoption of PPE, subsequently reducing the risk of health hazards in the agriculture sector.

Objective: Storytelling engages audiences, passes down traditions and history, educates, and helps people understand and interpret their environment. Many of those who work in agriculture have been part of the storytelling tradition since childhood. Research has demonstrated the emotional impact of personal stories and how prevention information is conveyed effectively "farmer to farmer" through this method of communication., Methods: Since 2016, the Telling the Story Project has provided a space for those directly or indirectly involved in an agricultural incident to share their story and unique perspectives on how similar incidents can be avoided., Results: This collaborative project, developed between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Agriculture Safety Centers, has resulted in 11 stories on a dedicated website, safety and health resources, and educational guides. The stories and educational guidelines have been marketed extensively through traditional and social media sources, employed in safety training, and embraced by educators in agricultural programs. The website has provided a national and international reach with more than 35,000 visits., Conclusion: Qualitative thematic analysis of the stories provided data on the circumstances leading up to each incident, valuable information on how the storytellers interpreted the aftermath, and a novel perspective on how safety professionals can create messaging that will resonate with the farming community.

Background: Agriculture is a hazardous industry but the frequency and severity of agricultural injuries are not well documented as nonfatal injuries to self-employed farmers are excluded from national surveillance. The aim of this study was to provide new injury rate and cost estimates in US agriculture., Methods: Injury data were obtained from 2018 to 2020 Farm and Ranch Health and Safety Surveys. Responses from 7,195 farm/ranch operators included injury frequency, medical expense, and lost work time data. These injury rate and cost data were used to estimate national injury costs for self-employed farmers using Census of Agriculture operator count, injury costs for hired agricultural workers using Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) nonfatal injury count, and fatal injury costs using BLS count of fatal injuries., Results: The injury rate for self-employed farmers and ranchers was 15.25 injuries per 100 operators or 11.9 "recordable" injuries per 100 full time equivalent operators (FTE). Average costs for nonfatal injuries were: $10,878 for medical care, $4735 for lost work time, and $15,613 in total per injury case. The total national agricultural injury cost estimate was $11.31 billion per year; 11.3% higher than the earlier benchmark using 1992 data; both in March 2024 dollars. The cost burden was 2.1% of the US national gross farm income and 13.4% of the net farm income in 2019., Conclusions: Injuries result in significant economic losses to farm and ranch operators, their family members, workers, and society. Preventive efforts should be scaled up to reduce the frequency and costs of agricultural injuries., (© 2024 The Author(s). American Journal of Industrial Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction and Methods: In this study, we evaluated self-reported respiratory symptoms during agricultural work, respiratory protection use and experience, and perceived value of receiving respirators using Gear Up for Ag Health and Safety Program™ pre- and post-surveys from 703 to 212 young adult hog producers in the United States. To our knowledge, this is one of the most extensive survey data sets on self-reported respiratory symptoms and respiratory protection behaviors of collegiate-aged young adults working in US livestock production., Results: About one-third (37%) of young adult hog producers stated that they have experienced cough, shortness of breath, fever, and chills after working in dusty areas on the farm. Most (76.2%) stated that they were already "always" or "sometimes" wearing filtering facepiece (N95-style) respirators, even before participating in an outreach program. About one-third (30%) reported experience wearing a cartridge-style respirator but only 5% reported having been fit-tested for a respirator. Young adult male producers were significantly more likely to report use of both respirator types when compared to females, both before and after the program. Male producers were also more likely than females to engage in high-risk farm tasks where respirators are recommended, such as cleaning out grain bins and mixing or grinding feed. Following an educational program, males and females reported using the respirators that they received at similar rates, and 20% of overall participants purchased additional respiratory protection., Discussion: The study found that young adult hog producers in postsecondary education are already wearing respirators with some frequency and at rates higher than previously reported by agricultural workers. More research is needed to make effective task-based respirator-use recommendations and investigate some significant gender differences among young adult hog producers observed in this study., (© 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The number of agricultural fatalities and injuries related to agricultural quad bike use has risen substantially in the last two decades. Safe engineering design features such as crush protection and roll bars have proven potential to lessen the burden of injury but have traditionally not been included in many quad bike safety training programs. The aim of this study was to survey more than 700 young adults working in U.S. and Canadian agriculture to examine self-reported quad bike safety behaviors and awareness of quad bike safety design engineering features. We found that U.S. males continue to be at higher risk for quad bike-rollover incidents when compared to other groups. Even when accounting for other factors such as age and country, we found that participants who reported youth occupational quad bike use (≤14 years old) were up to 200% more likely to allow extra riders and up to 489% more likely to not wear a helmet when compared to participants who reported beginning occupational quad bike use in adulthood. These findings support the Agricultural Youth Work Guideline (AYWG) for occupational quad bike use at age 16. Less than 20% of young adults working in agriculture were aware of safe design features such as wide frames, stability ratings, crush protection devices, and accessories made by the original equipment manufacturer. There is tremendous need to educate the future agricultural workforce about the importance of choosing quad bikes with safer design features.

Objective: This study addressed the relationship of hearing loss and coexposure to solvents and noise among farmers and ranchers in central United States., Methods: The surveillance study included surveys to stratified random samples of operations in 2018 and 2020 (n = 34,146), requesting information on injuries, illnesses, exposures, and preventive measures. Responses (n = 7495) were analyzed using hierarchical multinomial logistic regression, adjusting for personal and work characteristics., Results: Nearly 60% of respondents exposed to both solvents and noise reported hearing loss. The exposures increased the adjusted odds of moderate/severe hearing loss as follows: solvents alone, (odds ratio [OR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93-2.38), noise alone (OR, 4.42; 95% CI, 3.39-5.76), and coexposure to both noise and solvents (OR, 6.03; 95% CI, 4.67-7.78)., Conclusions: Solvent exposure, along with noise, should be considered in hearing conservation programs among farmers and ranchers., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Surveillance of injuries in production agriculture is necessary to inform stakeholders about workplace hazards and risks in order to improve and advance injury prevention policies and practices for this dangerous industry. The most comprehensive fatal injury surveillance effort currently in the United States is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), which covers occupational fatalities in all U.S. industries, including production agriculture. However, this surveillance does not include many categories of fatalities that occur during agricultural work or on production agriculture worksites. To better capture the human cost of production agriculture, the authors of this paper call for the collection of additional data with a broader scope that supplements, not replaces, the current CFOI. This paper describes challenges in surveillance, highlights key procedural gaps, and offers recommendations for advancing national surveillance of fatal traumatic injuries associated with production agriculture.

We conducted a social network analysis (SNA) of Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH) to describe stakeholder networks for agricultural Research and Education/Outreach. This was a two-phase study. First, the Leader Survey went to N = 9 CS-CASH leaders to identify their key stakeholders. Next, the Stakeholder Survey was sent to these stakeholders to learn about their stakeholder collaborations, interactions, and communications. The Pajek Network Analysis measured SNA metrics for density, centrality, betweenness, k-core, and created the sociograms. The Leader Survey had a 100% response rate and generated N = 337 unique stakeholders. Most were researchers (44%) and educators (20%), with a primary sphere of influence in Nebraska-only (40%). The Stakeholder Survey had 46% response rate, and generated N = 199 names in the extended Education/Outreach network and N = 140 in the extended Research network. Stakeholders in both networks were employed mostly in universities/schools (61%) or non-profits (15%). Both networks had a single main component and 7/9 CS-CASH leaders had central roles in these components. CS-CASH is well positioned in the extended stakeholder networks based on SNA metrics. Stakeholders utilize CS-CASH resources, and they seek and exchange information with its leaders. To strengthen knowledge transfer, it will be useful to build on connections with stakeholders outside academia.

Background: Injury data and reports provide valuable information for both public and private organizations to guide programming, policy, and prevention, but in the increasingly complex and dangerous industry of US agriculture, the injury surveillance needed to produce this data is lacking. To address the gap, AgInjuryNews was established in 2015. The system includes fatal and nonfatal injury cases derived from publicly available reports, including occupational and nonoccupational injuries, occurring in the agricultural, forestry, and fishing (AFF) industry., Objective: The study aimed to develop a stakeholder-engaged redesign of the interactive, up-to-date, and publicly available dataset of US AFF injury and fatality reports., Methods: Instructor-led heuristic evaluations within a 15-student undergraduate course, data from 8 student participants of laboratory-based usability testing and 2016 and 2017 AgInjuryNews-registered user surveys, coupled with input from the National Steering Committee informed the development priorities for 2018. An interdisciplinary team employed an agile methodology of 2-week sprints developing in ASP.NET and Structured Query Language to deliver an intuitive frontend and a flexible, yet structured, backend, including a case report input form for capturing more than 50 data points on each injury report., Results: AgInjuryNews produced 17,714 page views from 43 countries in 2018 captured via Google Analytics, whereas 623 injury reports were coded and loaded, totaling more than 31,000 data points. Newly designed features include customizable email alerts, an interactive map, and expanded search and filter options. User groups such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America have endorsed the system within their networks. News media have cited or referenced the system in national outlets such as the New York Times, Politico, and the Washington Post., Conclusions: The new system's features, functions, and improved data granularity have sparked innovative lines of research and increased collaborative interest domestically and abroad. It is anticipated that this nontraditional sentinel surveillance system and its dataset will continue to serve many purposes for public and private agricultural safety and health stakeholders in the years to come. ., (©Bryan Weichelt, Tomi Heimonen, Serap Gorucu, Emily Redmond, Josef Vechinski, Kurt Pflughoeft, Casper Bendixsen, Marsha Salzwedel, Erika Scott, Kang Namkoong, Mark Purschwitz, Risto Rautiainen, Dennis J Murphy. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (http://formative.jmir.org), 02.08.2019.)

Background: This study focused on risk factors for serious injuries in farm and ranch operators in the central United States., Methods: The Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics Service, sent mail surveys to 6953, 6912, and 6912 farms/ranches in 2011-2013, respectively, covering seven Midwestern states., Results: The average survey response rate was 35%. The average annual incidence rate (injuries/100 workers) was 6.91 for all injuries and 2.40 for serious injuries. Univariate analyses determined several demographic and farm production-related risk factors for serious injury. Adjusted analysis showed a greater risk of serious injury for operators of age 45-54 years (vs. 65 and higher), those who worked 75-99% of their time (vs. less time), and those who operated larger land areas (vs. smaller)., Conclusion: The identified risk factors should be considered when targeting injury prevention programs., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Currently, surveillance of non-fatal agricultural injuries in the U.S. mainly relies on national surveys, and to date, none of these surveys were formally reviewed. Our objective was to review and evaluate these survey-based systems, to identify critical gaps in them and provide recommendations to improve them., Methods: We used the updated Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to describe each system and evaluate each system's attributes like simplicity, flexibility, data quality, timeliness, representativeness, etc., Results: Four adult and two youth national surveys collected data for non-fatal agricultural injuries in the U.S. The evaluation identified three major gaps: 1) insufficient data quality attributed to non-response, measurement errors, and underreporting; 2) untimeliness of data; and 3) lack of flexibility to integrate with other existing systems., Conclusion: Improving data quality, timeliness and flexibility will provide reliable and valid injury estimates, and increase the usefulness of these surveys for surveillance and prevention of farm injuries., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Agricultural injury is a significant public health problem globally. Extensive research has addressed this problem, and a growing number of risk factors have been reported. The authors evaluated the evidence for frequently reported risk factors earlier. The objective in the current study was to identify emerging risk factors for agricultural injury and calculate pooled estimates for factors that were assessed in two or more studies. A total of 441 (PubMed) and 285 (Google Scholar) studies were identified focusing on occupational injuries in agriculture. From these, 39 studies reported point estimates of risk factors for injury; 38 of them passed the Newcastle-Ottawa criteria for quality and were selected for the systematic review and meta-analysis. Several risk factors were significantly associated with injury in the meta-analysis. These included older age (vs. younger), education up to high school or higher (vs. lower), non-Caucasian race (vs. Caucasian), Finnish language (vs. Swedish), residence on-farm (vs. off-farm), sleeping less than 7-7.5 hours (vs. more), high perceived injury risk (vs. low), challenging social conditions (vs. normal), greater farm sales, size, income, and number of employees on the farm (vs. smaller), animal production (vs. other production), unsafe practices conducted (vs. not), computer use (vs. not), dermal exposure to pesticides and/or chemicals (vs. not), high cooperation between farms (vs. not), and machinery condition fair/poor (vs. excellent/good). Eighteen of the 25 risk factors were significant in the meta-analysis. The identified risk factors should be considered when designing interventions and selecting populations at high risk of injury.

Managing a horse stable involves risks, which can have serious consequences for the stable, employees, clients, visitors and horses. Existing industrial or farm production risk management tools are not directly applicable to horse stables and they need to be adapted for use by managers of different types of stables. As a part of the InnoEquine project, an innovative web tool, InnoHorse, was developed to support horse stable managers in business, safety, pasture and manure management. A literature review, empirical horse stable case studies, expert panel workshops and stakeholder interviews were carried out to support the design. The InnoHorse web tool includes a safety section containing a horse stable safety map, stable safety checklists, and examples of good practices in stable safety, horse handling and rescue planning. This new horse stable safety management tool can also help in organizing work processes in horse stables in general.

Unlabelled: To estimate plausible health effects associated with peak sulfur dioxide (SO₂) levels from three coal-fired power plants in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, air monitoring was conducted between June and September 2013. Historically, the summer months are periods when emissions are highest. Monitoring included a 5-day mobile and a subsequent 61-day stationary monitoring study. In the stationary monitoring study, equipment was set up at four sites where models predicted and mobile monitoring data measured the highest average concentrations of SO₂. Continuous monitors recorded ambient concentrations each minute. The 1-min data were used to calculate 5-min and 1-hr moving averages for comparison with concentrations from clinical studies that elicited lung function decrement and respiratory symptoms among asthmatics. Maximum daily 5-min moving average concentrations from the mobile monitoring study ranged from 70 to 84 ppb (183-220 µg/m³), and maximum daily 1-hr moving average concentrations from the mobile monitoring study ranged from 15 to 24 ppb (39-63 µg/m³). Maximum 5-min moving average concentrations from stationary monitoring ranged from 39 to 229 ppb (102-600 µg/m³), and maximum daily 1-hr average concentrations ranged from 15 to 134 ppb (40-351 µg/m³). Estimated exposure concentrations measured in the vicinity of monitors were below the lowest levels that have demonstrated respiratory symptoms in human clinical studies for healthy exercising asthmatics. Based on 5-min and 1-hr monitoring, the exposure levels of SO₂ in the vicinity of the C.P. Crane, Brandon Shores, and H.A. Wagner power plants were not likely to elicit respiratory symptoms in healthy asthmatics., Implications: Mobile and stationary air monitoring for SO2 were conducted to quantify short-term exposure risk, to the surrounding community, from peak emissions of three coal-fired power plants in the Baltimore area. Concentrations were typically low, with only a few 5-min averages higher than levels indicated during clinical trials to induce changes in lung capacity for healthy asthmatics engaged in exercise outdoors.

Sleep deprivation has been linked to injuries, illnesses, and reduced performance measures. Yet, it is unclear how sleep loss contributes to the high rates of injuries and falls in agriculture. In this study, the authors evaluated sleep loss and quantified its association with balance in five farmers, who wore an ActiWatch to record their sleeping patterns in six repeated weekly observation periods. Acute sleep loss was computed as the net sleep (sleeping hours the night before balance testing - average sleep hours during the week). All farmers performed four balance tests on either one foot or both feet and with eyes open or closed. Balance was measured using a pressure mat to monitor the change in center of pressure (CoP) of the feet in anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient indicated balance outcomes were strongly and negatively correlated with the net sleep (P < .05). As the net sleep decreased, farmers became less stable, particularly indicated by an increase in the area, total displacement, and deviations of CoP in both AP and ML directions while standing on both feet with eyes open. Fisher's exact test showed an association between the CoP in AP direction and the net sleep (P = .020, odds ratio [OR] = 7.37). Thus, the odds of having reduced balance stability were 7.4 times higher when farmers slept less than their average hours during the night prior to the balance test. These results suggest that acute sleep loss impacts balance stability that may lead to falls. Understanding the association of sleep loss and balance stability is important in prevention of agricultural injuries.

The objective of this study was to identify significant risk factors for agricultural injury based on the literature. The authors conducted a systematic review of commonly reported risk factors. Studies that reported adjusted odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) estimates for the selected risk factors were identified from PubMed and Google Scholar. Pooled risk factor estimates were calculated using meta-analysis. A total of 441 (PubMed) and 285 (Google Scholar) studies were found in the initial searches; of these, 132 and 78 studies, respectively, met the selection criteria for injury outcomes, and 32 of these reported adjusted OR or RR estimates. One study was excluded because it did not meet the set Newcastle-Ottawa Scale quality criteria. Finally, 31 studies were used for meta-analysis. The pooled ORs for the risk factors were as follows: male gender (vs. female) 1.68, full-time farmer (vs. part-time) 2.17, owner/operator (vs. family member or hired worker) 1.64, regular medication use (vs. no regular medication use) 1.57, prior injury (vs. no prior injury) 1.75, health problems (vs. no health problems) 1.21, stress or depression (vs. no stress or depression) 1.86, and hearing loss (vs. no hearing loss) 2.01. All selected factors except health problems significantly increased the risk of injury, and they should be (a) considered when selecting high-risk populations for interventions, and (b) considered as potential confounders in intervention studies.

This article describes the formal use of marketing concepts in a systematic approach to influence farmers to voluntarily increase respiratory protective device (RPD) use. The planning process for the project incorporated six key decision or action points, each informed by formative research or health behavior theory. The planning process included developing behavior change strategies based on a 4P model (product, price, place, and promotion). The resulting campaign elements included print and e-mail messages that leveraged motivators related to family and health in order to increase farmers' knowledge about the risks of exposure to dusty environments, four instructional videos related to the primary barriers identified in using RPDs, and a brightly colored storage bag to address barriers to using RPDs related to mask storage. Campaign implementation included a series of e-mails using a bulk e-mail subscription service, use of social media in the form of posting instructional videos on a YouTube channel, and in-person interactions with members of the target audience at farm shows throughout the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health seven-state region. Evaluation of the e-mail campaigns indicated increased knowledge about RPD use and intent to use RPDs in dusty conditions. YouTube analytic data indicated continuing exposure of the instructional videos beyond the life of the campaign. The project demonstrates the efficacy of a planning process that incorporates formative research and clear decision points throughout. This process could be used to plan health behavior change interventions to address other agriculture-related health and safety issues.

Objective: This study evaluated land preparation interventions (new short- and long-handled hoes), developed in a participatory manner with women vegetable farmers in West Africa, and identified indicators of long-term adoption of these interventions., Methods: Subjects (n = 48) engaged in timed trials, alternating between using an intervention tool and their traditional hand hoe to till specified plots of land. Heart rates were measured and subjects reported the relative ergonomic comfort and safeness of the tool after each trial. Follow-up interviews and focus groups were held one, two, and three months after the trials., Results: Compared to the traditional hoe, the new long-handled hoe required 22% less time (p = 0.01), while the new short hoe took 20% more time (p = 0.05) to till the standard plots in this study. Two months after the initial trials, 94% of subjects preferred the new hoes over the traditional hoe. Most subjects (75%) preferred the new short hoe over the new long hoe and thought it was faster (81%), despite measurements to the contrary., Conclusions: While the new long-handled hoe performed better in the timed trials in this study, most subjects preferred the new short-handled hoe. Subjects should be sensitized on the benefits of the long-handled hoe., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This paper describes the qualitative, community-based participatory approach used to identify culturally-acceptable and sustainable interventions to improve the occupational health, safety, and productivity of smallholder women vegetable farmers in The Gambia (West Africa)., Materials and Methods: This approach was used to conduct: 1) analysis of the tasks and methods traditionally used in vegetable production, and 2) selection of interventions., Results: The most arduous garden tasks that were amenable to interventions were identified, and the interventions were selected through a participatory process for further evaluation., Conclusions: Factors contributing to the successful implementation of the participatory approach used in this study included the following: 1) ensuring that cultural norms were respected and observed; 2) working closely with the existing garden leadership structure; and 3) research team members working with the subjects for an extended period of time to gain first-hand understanding of the selected tasks and to build credibility with the subjects.

Diazomethane is a highly explosive and toxic gas routinely employed for the quantitative and clean derivatization of phenols. We investigated the commercially available trimethylsilyldiazomethane in the presence of diisopropylethylamine as a safe, non-explosive and less-toxic alternative using six phenolic polychlorinated biphenyls as model analytes and fluoro-tagged analogues as internal standards. We compared yields and derivatization times of each method employing a liver microsomal extract as a real matrix. Steric hindrance and electronic properties of the analytes were also investigated. The alternative method afforded equal to higher derivatization yields with increased reaction times, up to 100 min, while explosion and toxic exposure risks were minimized and cost efficiency was increased above 25%. These findings demonstrate that non-explosive trimethylsilyl diazomethane produces comparable derivatization results to the dangerous diazomethane under the conditions studied., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Agriculture is more hazardous than most other industries. Many strategies have been introduced to reduce injuries in the field, yet the effectiveness of different interventions on occupational injuries still remains unclear., Objectives: This review aims to determine the effectiveness of interventions to prevent occupational injuries among workers in the agricultural industry compared to no interventions or to alternative interventions., Search Strategy: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Injuries Group's specialised register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, OSH-ROM (including NIOSHTIC and HSELINE) databases were searched up to June 2006. Reference lists of selected articles, relevant reviews and additional topic related databases and web sites were also searched. The searches were not restricted by language or publication status., Selection Criteria: Randomised controlled trials, cluster-randomised controlled trials, prospective cohort studies with a concurrent control group, and interrupted time series studies assessing any type of intervention aiming to prevent fatal or non-fatal injuries among workers in agriculture., Data Collection and Analysis: Two reviewers conducted data extraction and study quality assessment independently. Rate ratios of randomised controlled trials were calculated and the effect sizes were combined in a meta-analysis. Interrupted time series studies were reanalysed and each of them studied for having an immediate and a progressive effect., Main Results: Five randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with 11,565 participants and three interrupted time series studies (ITSs) with 26.3 data points on average met the criteria. For educational interventions aiming at reducing injury rates among adults the pooled rate ratio after recalculation from effect sizes in three RCTs was 1.02 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.20). For educational interventions aiming at children the pooled rate ratio for injury rates in two RCTs was 1.27 (95% CI 0.51 to 3.16). One ITS that evaluated the effect of an intervention that included financial incentives decreased the injury level immediately after the intervention with an effect size of -2.68 (95% CI -3.80 to -1.56) but did not have a significant effect on the injury trend over time with an effect size of -0.22 (95% CI -0.47 to 0.03). One ITS study that evaluated the effect of legislation to ban Endosulfan pesticide on fatal pesticide poisonings increased the level of poisonings immediately after the introduction with an effect size of 2.20 (95% CI 0.97 to 3.43) but led to decrease in the trend of poisonings over time with an effect size of -2.15 (95% CI -2.64 to -1.66). One ITS study documented four different regulations aiming to increase the use of rollover protective structures (ROPS) on tractors and their effect on injuries and fatal injuries. The introduction of two different pieces of legislation requiring ROPS on new tractors sold after a certain date was associated with a decrease of fatal injuries over the long term (effect size -0.93 95% CI -1.02 to -0.03) but they were also associated with an increase of injuries in general (fatal and non-fatal injuries combined). Introduction of legislation requiring ROPS on all tractors, old tractors included, was not associated with a decrease but with an increase of injuries and fatal injuries over the long term., Authors' Conclusions: The selected studies provided no evidence that educational interventions are effective in decreasing injury rates among agricultural workers. Financial incentives could reduce injury rates. Legislation to ban pesticides could be effective. Legislation expanding the use of safety devices (ROPS) on new tractors was associated with a decrease in fatal injuries.