Machine Failures, Chemical Exposures, and Failed Structures Put Farmers at Risk for Serious Injury
Agricultural farming is an extremely labor-intensive industry that requires a lot of hard work and determination. Unfortunately, it is also an extremely dangerous industry. In fact, injury risks are so high that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed extensive agricultural safety and health programs specifically to address the high risks of injuries and illnesses experienced by agricultural workers and their families.In addition to physical accident risks, NIOSH’s programs also conduct research to address injuries associated with pesticide exposure, pulmonary disease, musculoskeletal disorders, hearing loss, and stress, which are all prevalent concerns in the agricultural health community.
However, it is this all really necessary? People have been farming for thousands of years. How dangerous can it truly be?
Short-Term and Long-Term Farm Accident Injuries
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control suggests that agriculture is one of the most dangerous businesses in the United States. An estimated 160 agricultural workers are injured every day as a result of workplace injuries, resulting in more than 58,000 injuries a year. In addition to the alarming number of injuries, nearly 400 farmers, agricultural workers, and farmhands die every year as a result of severe farming accidents.
The most common injuries sustained are as follows:
- Crushing injuries. The most common cause of agricultural fatalities is due to tractor rollovers. When a tractor becomes unbalanced and tips, the rider is generally forced over as well, becoming crushed under the weight of the machine. Poor maintenance, heavy loads, and uneven ground increases the chance of crushing injuries even more.
- Head, neck and spinal injuries due to falls. A significant portion of a farm worker’s day is spent at least five feet off the ground, due to tall farm equipment, chores, and locations such as silos, barns, grain bins, and haymows. Now, although five feet may not seem very high, when workers accidentally fall on their backs, necks, or heads, that distance is all it takes to cause serious—sometimes fatal—impact damage.
- Farm machine entanglements. Farm workers can be seriously maimed, disfigured, or killed when they become caught in farming machinery such as augers, threshers, or PTO shafts.
- Suffocation. Workers who become trapped in grain bins or silos can smother to death in minutes if not immediately rescued. Other enclosed spaces can also provide dangerous traps due to low oxygen levels or contamination by silo or manure gases.
When working on a farm or with farming equipment, it is essential that you not only follow proper safety protocols, but also know where to turn for injury compensation and help.
You Deserve More Than a Bushel and a Peck for Your Injuries
If you believe that a current injury or a recent injury of a loved one was a direct result of negligent safety precautions or machinery malfunctions, an experienced farming accident lawyer can help you get the justice you deserve.
We can provide you with the right tools and knowledge to make sure you get a fair and justified settlement, rather than the mere peck your insurer will offer. We can also help you report the incident to OSHA and have the agency perform its own investigation into equipment and safety protocols, which in turn could be extremely beneficial for your case.
Contact us today for a free consultation and more information about how our experience can help you and your family.
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