Statistics and Epidemiology of Tractor FatalitiesâA Historical Perspective

Abstract

Farm tractors have historically been identified as the leading source of work-relatedfarming deaths in the U.S. While data from the National Safety Council show thattractor-related deaths and fatality rates have decreased since 1969, current surveillancedata indicate that an average of 218 farmers and farmworkers die annually fromtractor-related injuries. Of these deaths, approximately 120 are associated with tractoroverturns. Most of these deaths occur to tractor operators 65 years of age and older.Roll-over Protective Structures (ROPS) have been identified as the single best methodof preventing tractor overturn-related deaths, yet only 38% of all tractors used on farmsin the U.S. were equipped with ROPS in 1993. A major issue associated withincreasing the use of ROPS on farm tractors is the cost of retrofitting ROPS on oldertractors. The average cost to retrofit tractors with ROPS in the U.S. was estimated at$937, and a cost of at least $4 billion nationally in 1993.