Even with the beneficial engineering advances leading to
general improvement in safety and decreased fatalities,
agriculture continues to rank in the top three most
dangerous occupations into the 21st century. Minnesota
averages 31 deaths from agricultural work annually. The
financial impact of agricultural injuries is high, averaging
$2,347 per farm nationally. The leading causes of fatal
and nonfatal injuries caused by machines include:
Motor vehicle accidents (farm machinery on roads)
Tractors-roll-overs and run-overs
Power take-off (PTO)
Rotating shafts
Grain augers
Combine harvesting heads
Balers
Front end loaders
Chain saws
Men are more likely to have an injury related to mechanical
causes, while women are more likely to have animal-related
injuries. Animal injuries are more likely to be non-fatal.
The major cause of mechanical fatal injuries involve tractors,
with rollovers the primary factor. The majority of farms have
operative older tractors without the rollover protective
structures (ROPS), cabins, and seat belts, found on tractors built
after the mid 1970’s.
Severe injuries can occur from becoming entangled in moving
parts such as power-take off (PTO) units, rotating shafts,
corn and soybean combine harvesting heads. These parts
rotate at high speeds and can kill, amputate, or mangle body
parts if they are not maintained.
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