Farm Machinery Injuries

Abstract

Agriculture is the most hazardous occupation in North America, with a work injury death rate higher than that of any other major industry. Farm machinery is involved in approximately half of all farm injuries. A Canadian series of 42 farm machinery injury cases hospitalized in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1980 showed that tractors were most frequently involved. Injuries resulting from power take-offs and grain augers were particularly severe and disabling. Amputations were the most common injuries associated with power take-offs, while crush injuries and compound fractures of the distal extremities were the most common auger-related injuries. Most of these injuries could have been prevented by the incorporation of automatic protective devices such as safety shields. It is recommended that the federal governments of Canada and the U.S. require manufacturers to equip farm machinery with approved safety features.