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  • From: Ron Malor <rmalor AT bigpond.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Farm Safety
  • Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 10:29:58 +1100

Hi All,

Very pertinent thread. Few seem to realise just how dangerous farming (and not just broad acre farming) can be. In Australia farming is the third most death and injury prone industry after mining and long distance transport driving. I find to my suprise that it is even ahead of forestry work. Below is a cut and paste from a Worksafe Australia publication. Worksafe Australia is the Federal body charged with monitoring workplace safety. The publication is from 1991 but enquiries reveal that (sadly) little has changed since then.


National Occupational Health and Safety Commission
Worksafe Australia
REFERENCE
[Sydney] : [Worksafe Australia]. - 1 leaflet, illus.
PUBDATE
[1991?]
KEYWORDS
Farming / Causes Of Accidents / Fatalities / Children / Statistics
DOCUMENT
THE DANGERS OF FARMING

Worksafe Australia's study of work related fatalities has shown farming to be the third most dangerous industry after mining and transport.

FATALITIES

The study shows that 224 adults were killed on farms between January 1982 and December 1984 and a further 34 children were killed on farms in the same period.  Males = 210 or 94% of fatal injuries; Females = 14 or 6%.

These percentages are identical to the whole work force.

Of the adult deaths 88 or nearly 40% involved tractors and or attached
machinery.  Another 67 deaths were caused by other powered machinery including farm vehicles.

These were made up of:

- 40 from machine roll over

- 27 from being drawn into machinery like hay bailers

Of those who died, 122 were farmers or farm managers and 102 were farm
workers.

Although children are not part of the workforce they still comprise a large
part of the fatalities on farms as they are living in a work environment.

CHILD DEATHS

Children taking part in farm activities resulted in 13 of the 34 deaths.  The other 21 who died were playing in a work area or were riding on farm
machinery.

Several children under three years fell from tractors and were crushed under the rear wheel, or fell into attached equipment such as a rotary hoe.

Roll-over tractor accidents killed some 12 to 14-year-olds who were described as having equivalent to adult experience with tractors.

Silo deaths involving children occurred when they were submerged in grain
while playing in open silos.

Of the child fatalities, 26 were males and 8 were females.  In addition to the 34 child deaths on farms another 15 under 19 years were killed.

THE ELDERLY

Generally, fatalities increase among the elderly with 26% of adult deaths
among those over 60 years and 18% among those over 60 years, compares to 8%
and 5% respectively in these age groups in other occupational groups.

In summary, these figures show that:

- Children playing on farms can be fatal and hazards should be

  identified.

- Tractors and machinery are the major hazard on farms

- Elderly farmers need to take special care especially in

  isolated areas

Take Care.

Regards,
Ron...


Ron Malor

'Roslyn Lea'
Scotts Road
South Mole Creek
Northern Tasmania


  • Farm Safety, Del Williams, 10/14/2002
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • Farm Safety, Ron Malor, 10/14/2002
    • Re: Farm Safety, marc, 10/17/2002

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