Farming Accidents

No doubt about it: Farm work is tough work. Anyone who has worked on a farm knows all-too-well the intense demands that this work places on them—physical labor, often in dim light or poor weather, repetitive movements for many tasks, and work with and around large and dangerous machinery.

Farm accidents are far more common that one might think. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in which to work.

According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), the rate for farmworker injuries was 20% higher in 2016 than other types of work injuries, with 4.8 injuries per 100 versus 3.8 per 100 for all workers in all other industries.

Depending on the type of farm, there is a wide variety of accidents in day-to-day agricultural work.

Common Causes of Farm Related Accidents

The leading cause of farming accidents involves overturned heavy machinery and tractors. Other causes include suffocation, lethal exposure to toxic chemicals, falls, animal-related injuries, heat stress, deadly brain & back injuries, and crushed limbs by agricultural machinery.

Data collected by insurance companies reveal that a work-related injury kills many farmers and farmworkers in the fields, and others succumb to illness after years of exposure to toxic chemicals.

Some accidents can be due to improper training or the use of safety gear. It is up to farm owners to provide a safe and healthy work environment just like any other employer. However, many of these injuries also happen to the farm owners and their families due to no fault of their own.