Progress 10/01/00 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Throughout the project cycle, detailed data were collected within Minnesota related to the agent and other characteristics of fatal farming work-related injuries in Minnesota. Annual fatality numbers have ranged from 22 to 31 with the largest number still occurring as a result of tractor overturns. In this work, we have also included fatal incidents to children and all family members who are injured as a result of contact with some type of farm work-related hazard including tractors, other types of machines, confined spaces (manure pits, grain bins, and silos), animals, all-terrain vehicles, falls, and others. Research to determine fatality risk factors has also been complemented by collaborative research led by the School of Public Health examining agricultural injury risk factors in a multi-state region. Target audiences for this work have included farm family members, children, and other workers. Numerous papers have been cited from this work in past reports. The
fatality and injury investigative work has guided research and the development of funded research to address key issues. As has been previously reported, sensor systems were developed to detect people working near rotating powered farm equipment, and in some cases, actually shut machines off to prevent entanglement. Other work has focused on the unique occupational safety and health needs of immigrant farming families and their children. Unique prevention programs have been developed as a result of this work focusing on issues of small machine safety, personal safety during marketing operations, worker health among farmer's market workers, and ergonomics. Significant work was also conducted as part of this project to estimate the economic costs of downtime associated with agricultural injuries during critical planting and harvest periods. All of the research work has directly guided Extension educational activities directed at the prevention of agricultural injuries, fatalities, and
occupational disease. In the later years of the project period, additional agricultural workplace issues critical to homeland security were addressed. This has included state-funded activity related to on-farm biosecurity; risks to workers; and the problem of methamphetamine production on farms and on rural property. Again, this work has directly informed and provided a research base for Extension education programs and has further expanded and developed for future work.
Impacts
This research and the extension and outreach programs that this work supports help to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, deaths, and occupational disease and health problems in the agricultural workplace. Unfortunately, agriculture now has one of the highest death rates of all U.S. industries, and injuries and fatalities cost the industry nearly more than $5 billion annually. An improvement in the safety and occupational health status of farmers and their families (and others who work in supporting agricultural industries) will improve the quality of life, reduce the amount of pain and suffering, and will have clear economic benefits. In addition, this program addresses issues of agricultural and food systems preparedness, including preventing and responding to the threat of an intentional attack to our food system. This program's unique contribution is a focus on workers, worker health, and other concerns related to labor in agriculture and the food
system.
Publications
- Venem, M.T., Shutske, J. and Gilbert, W. 2006. Testing and Creation of a Safety System to Disengage the PTO of a Tractor. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 22(1): 5-12.
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Minnesota's farm work-related death data were collected during 2005 via news clippings, death certificates, and on-site investigations. At this point, not all of the fatality data has been entered, and reports from November and December 2005 are still arriving. We anticipate a number between 22-28. Data are entered into an Access database to help us examine trends related to conditions and agents of injury and to plan appropriate research and educational responses. This work continues to be of high priority, since agriculture continues to have one of the highest national death rates among all industries. In 2005, we published a book that details safety guidelines created for Hmong farming families, initially created through research funded by NIOSH. The guidelines were designed to be culturally and linguistically appropriate and effective for immigrant farmers and their children. The guidelines were evaluated to determine their impact for members of the Hmong
community in several settings in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Several manuscripts are being prepared as part of this work. Additional projects dealing with safety issues for various diverse audiences have been funded by USDA, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Forest Service. Work expanded dealing with issues of food sector workplace safety and public health preparedness. Research was conducted and educational tabletop exercises were developed focusing on worker and system-level safety issues of infectious disease (H5N1 avian influenza) in the poultry industry, and intentional chemical contamination in the milk industry. These efforts were funded by the CDC through the Centers for Public Health Preparedness. The Minnesota preparedness center is unique in its focus on agriculture and food systems and the importance of workers and worker exposure in food sector homeland security. A comprehensive assessment was conducted of all national programs focused on issues of
agroterrorism and rural preparedness. John Shutske was the co-leader of this effort along with faculty from the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard. The final assessment is being published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in cooperation with the Association of Schools of Public Health. In addition, a project funded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture focused in 2005 on modeling the entire milk system from farm to table, focusing largely on potential bioterrorism implications for worker health including exposures to hazardous substances.
Impacts
This research and the extension and outreach programs that this work supports help to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, deaths, and occupational disease and health problems in the agricultural workplace. Unfortunately, agriculture now has one of the highest death rates of all U.S. industries, and injuries and fatalities cost the industry nearly more than $5 billion annually. An improvement in the safety and occupational health status of farmers and their families (and others who work in supporting agricultural industries) will improve the quality of life, reduce the amount of pain and suffering, and will have clear economic benefits. In addition, this program addresses issues of agricultural and food systems preparedness, including preventing and responding to the threat of an intentional attack to our food system. This program's unique contribution is a focus on workers, worker health, and other concerns related to labor in agriculture and the food
system.
Publications
- Yang, C. 2005. In M.A. Schermann (Ed). Orphan Boy the Farmer (Tub Ntsuag, Tub ua Teb). St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.
- Shutske, J., Benson, L., Meit, M, and Campbell, P. 2005. Rural Preparedness and Agroterrorism: CPHP Resource Assessment. Published by CDC and Association of Schools of Public Health.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Minnesota's farm work-related deaths and injury data were collected during 2004 via news clippings, death certificates, and investigations. At this point, not all of the fatality data has been entered, and reports from November and December 2004 are still arriving. We anticipate a number between 22-30, comparable to what has occurred in the past several years. Data are entered into an Access database to help us examine trends related to conditions and agents of injury and to plan appropriate research and educational responses. This work continues to be of high priority, since agriculture continues to have one of the highest national death rates among all industries. In 2004, we finished an ongoing NIH-funded project that is developing a methodology to make existing safety guidelines culturally and linguistically appropriate and effective for immigrant farmers and their children. This work has resulted in the creation of three original prototype guidelines for Hmong
farmers and their children. The guidelines incorporate our research findings, but are presented via traditional Hmong folktales, consistent with the learning style of our target audience. Several manuscripts are being prepared as closure to this important work. Portions of the work are continuing with new grants from Minnesota's Rapid Response grant initiative and through a small grant from the Marshfield Medical Foundation through NIOSH-CDC. Additional work has gone into building a research and connected outreach program focused on agricultural homeland security issues (biosecurity, agroterrorism, etc.). This includes direct research connections to the new DHS-funded center dealing with research on food protection and defense.
Impacts
This research and the extension and outreach programs that this work supports will help reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, deaths, and occupational disease and health problems in the agricultural workplace. Unfortunately, agriculture now has one of the highest death rates of all U.S. industries, and injuries and fatalities cost the industry nearly more than $5 billion annually. An improvement in the safety and occupational health status of farmers and their families (and others who work in supporting agricultural industries) will improve the quality of life, reduce the amount of pain and suffering, and will have clear economic benefits.
Publications
- Shutske, J. and Schermann, M. 2004. Adapting NAGCAT for Ethnic Communities: A Research Model, CDC/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Final Project Report 9/30/02-9/29/04.
- Venem, M.T., Gilbert W.J., and Shutske, J.M. 2005. Testing and Creation of a Safety System to Disengage the PTO of a Tractor. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. In press.
- Shutske, J. 2004. Role of Agricultural Safety and Health Professionals in the Post-9/11 World. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 10(4):218-220.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Minnesota's farm work-related deaths and injury data were collected during 2003 via news clippings, death certificates, and investigations. As of early 2004, 24 fatalities had been identified and summarized in Minnesota for 2003. A total of 26 deaths were recorded in 2002. Data were entered into an Access database to help us examine trends related to conditions and agents of injury and to plan appropriate research and educational responses. This work continues to be of high priority, since agriculture continues to have one of the highest national death rates among all industries. The nature of the problem is also changing as demographics and technologies change. A project was completed and the results accepted for publication dealing with the use of electronic sensors to detect people working too close to or approaching rotating agricultural equipment. An ongoing NIOSH-funded project is developing a methodology to make existing safety guidelines culturally and
linguistically appropriate and effective for immigrant farmers and their children. This project has been underway since late 2000. Focus groups and interviews have been held with Hmong farming families and community leaders. Field observations have documented the types of work being conducted by Hmong farming families including young children. The research findings from this project have been reported and presented in several national meetings. In the coming year, project staff will be completing the work to design and pilot test culturally appropriate educational tools to help Hmong parents make appropriate safety-related decisions for their children. A literature review dealing with health beliefs, agricultural work, and attitudes toward safety was published in 2003.
Impacts
This research and the extension and outreach programs that this work supports will help reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, deaths, and occupational disease and health problems in the agricultural workplace. Unfortunately, agriculture now has one of the highest death rates of all U.S. industries, and injuries and fatalities cost the industry nearly more than $5 billion annually. An improvement in the safety and occupational health status of farmers and their families (and others who work in supporting agricultural industries) will improve the quality of life, reduce the amount of pain and suffering, and will have clear economic benefits.
Publications
- Rasmussen, R.C., Schermann, M.A., Shutske, J.M., & Olson, D.K. 2003. Use of the North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks with Hmong farm families. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health,9(4): 265-274.
- Venem, M.T., J.M. Shutske and Gilbert, W. 2003. Testing and Creation of a Safety System to Disengage the PTO of a Tractor. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Accepted for publication.
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Minnesota's farm work-related deaths and injury data were collected during 2002 via news clippings, death certificates, and investigations. As of early 2003, 24 fatalities had been summarized in Minnesota for 2002. A total of 30 deaths were recorded in 2001. Data were entered into an Access database to help us examine trends related to conditions and agents of injury and to plan appropriate research and educational responses. This work continues to be of high priority, since agriculture again has the highest national death rate among all industries. The nature of the problem is also changing as demographics and technologies change. Two research projects were completed in cooperation with the National Farm Medicine Center in Marshfield, Wisconsin via a subcontract with funds originating from NIOSH. The first project investigated the use of sensor-based systems to reduce farm machinery injury incidence. The second project was designed to further develop and test a
linear programming technique to estimate the economic costs of downtime. In project #1, tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a prototype human presence detection system to protect people operating or working near rotating agricultural machinery. Various types of sensors were tested as well as mounting locations and working conditions near various hazard locations. This work has been submitted for publication. Further work on project #2 was completed to estimate the cost of lost time due to injury, mechanical breakdown, or other causes. Datasets were developed to predict injury costs in other areas of the country that have different soil types, weather, and machinery sets based on field capacity. Several other research activities exemplify this program's commitment to a continuous assessment of needs to help be responsive to rapid change in agriculture. An ongoing NIOSH-funded project is developing a methodology to make existing safety guidelines culturally and
linguistically appropriate and effective for immigrant farmers and their children. This project has been underway since late 2000. Focus groups and interviews have been held with Hmong farming families and community leaders. Field observations have documented the types of work being conducted by Hmong farming families including young children. The research findings from this project have been reported and presented in several national meetings. In the coming year, project staff will be designing culturally appropriate educational tools to help Hmong parents make appropriate safety-related decisions for their children. Information examining the impacts of biotechnology on worker health and safety was published in the Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. An additional research study dealing with farm machinery safety issues was completed in 2002. A total of 8,927 grain combine fire cases were investigated in 38 states from 1984 to 2000 using a dataset from the National Fire
Incident Reporting System. Results and recommendations were presented at two national meetings and submitted for peer review in the Applied Engineering in Agriculture.
Impacts
This research and the extension and outreach programs that this work supports will help reduce the frequency and severity of injuries, deaths, and occupational disease and health problems in the agricultural workplace. Unfortunately, agriculture now has the highest death rate of all U.S. industries, and injuries and fatalities cost the industry more than $4 billion annually. An improvement in the safety and occupational health status of farmers and their families (and others who work in supporting agricultural industries) will improve the quality of life, reduce the amount of pain and suffering, and will have clear economic benefits.
Publications
- Shutske, J.M. and Jenkins, S. 2002. The Impact of Biotechnology on Agricultural Worker Safety and Health. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 8(3): 277-287.
- Rasmussen, R., Shutske, J.M., Schermann, M. and Olson, D. 2002. A Literature Review of Hmong Agricultural Practices and Childhood Growth and Development As Factors In Childhood Agricultural Safety Intervention. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. Submitted (late September, 2002).
- Rasmussen, R., Shutske, J., Schermann, M. and Olson, D. 2002. Implications Of Hmong Cultural And Health Beliefs For Safety And Health Promotion. Journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses. Submitted (early October, 2002).
- Venem, M.T., Gilbert, W.J. and Shutske, J.M. 2002. Testing and Creation of a Safety System to Disengage the PTO of a Tractor. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Submitted (mid-September, 2002).
- Shutske, J.M. 2002. Enough is Enough: Rural Leaders Must Take a Stand to End Childhood Fatalities on the Farm. Resource 9(2):33. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI.
- Venem, M.T. and Shutske, J. 2002. Combine Fire Prevention Summit. ASAE Paper No. 028017. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Farm work-related deaths and injury statistics were collected during 2001 via news clippings, death certificates, and case investigations. As of early 2002, 28 fatalities had been summarized for Minnesota in the past calendar year (2001) and entered into an Access database to help us examine trends related to conditions and agents of traumatic injury. Two research projects have been ongoing in cooperation with the National Farm Medicine Center in Marshfield, Wisconsin via a subcontract with funds originating from NIOSH. The first of these projects is designed to further investigate the use of sensor-based systems to reduce farm machinery incidence. A second subcontracted project is designed to further develop the linear programming technique to estimate the costs associated with downtime. Significant progress occurred on both of these funded projects. Several tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a prototype human presence detection system. These
results will be reported in mid-2002. In addition, a journal article summarizing previous sensor tests was published in the Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. A detailed literature review examining sensor design and application in other industries including motor vehicles; military; and aerospace was conducted to examine potential application in the agricultural machinery industry. This review will be published in early 2002. Further work with the linear program to estimate the cost of downtime has been done to investigate injury costs in other areas of the country that have different types of other cropping areas, weather scenarios, and machinery sets based on field capacity. Several activities exemplify this program's commitment to a continuous assessment of needs to help be responsive to rapid change in agriculture. An ongoing NIOSH-funded project is being conducted to develop a methodology to make existing safety guidelines appropriate culturally and linguistically for
immigrant farmers. This project has been underway since late 2000, and is fully staffed. Several focus groups and interviews have been held with Hmong farming families and community leaders. Field observations have documented the types of work being conducted by Hmong farming families including young children. In the coming year, project staff will be designing culturally appropriate educational interventions to help Hmong parents make appropriate safety-related decisions for their children. Information examining the impacts of biotechnology and GMO technology on worker health and safety was presented as a white paper as part of a national policy development symposium in Baltimore in early 2001. This paper has been submitted for peer-review.
Impacts
This research work and resulting enhanced outreach activities will help prevent the incidence and severity of injuries and health problems experienced by farmers, farm workers and family members working in agriculture. This will result in quality of life benefits for families, decreased pain and suffering, and decreases in costs associated with healthcare, treatment, rehabilitation, downtime, and property damage.
Publications
- Shutske, J.M., Gilbert, W, and Chaplin, J. 2001. Evaluation Of A Microwave/Infrared Human Presence System For Agricultural Equipment. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 7(4):253-264.
- Madsen, S., Shutske, J.M., and Schermann, M. 2001. A Survey of Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Activities and Knowledge Among Minnesota Extension Service Educators. ASAE Technical Paper 018044.
- Schermann, M., Shutske, J.M., Rasmussen, R, and Madsen, S. 2001. Farm Alarm: Coping with Stress Using Theater for Agricultural Health and Safety Education. ASAE Technical Paper 018040.
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00
Outputs
This project originated on 10/1/2000. Progress and results are presented in parallel with the six primary objectives outlined in the project description. 1. Farm work-related deaths and injury statistics were collected during 2000 via news clippings and other pertinent sources. As of early 2001, 21 fatalities had been summarized for Minnesota in the past calendar year (2000) and entered into an Access database. In addition to Minnesota surveillance data, staff also learned of and helped in the investigation of fatality and injury events in several other states. A much higher percentage than normal of these events involved very young children. A special working summit was convened in Wisconsin in late 2000 to develop a position and educational statement related to the safety of young children. This was communicated to the media in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota in December 2000. 2. Research projects have been funded by the National Farm Medicine Center via a
subcontract with funds originating from NIOSH to further investigate the use of sensor-based systems to reduce farm machinery incidence. A second subcontracted project was funded as a continuation project to further develop the linear programming technique to estimate the costs associated with downtime. 3. A linear programming method to estimate the downtime losses associated with farming injuries, breakdowns, fires, and other common downtime sources was developed. A simulated farm representing production conditions and weather in SW Minnesota was investigated. Daily downtime costs for a day lost during harvest season ranged from $300 per day to nearly $900. Further work is investigating other cropping areas, weather scenarios, and machinery sets based on field capacity. 4. Several activities exemplify this program's commitment to a continuous assessment of needs to help be responsive to rapid change in agriculture. A pilot project was successfully funded by NIOSH to help develop a
methodology to make existing safety guidelines appropriate culturally and linguistically for immigrant farmers. Additional data and information was collected and summarized to examine the impacts of biotechnology and GMO technology on worker health and safety. This information will be presented as a white paper as part of a national policy development symposium in Baltimore in early 2001. 5. Several research projects have been funded related to health and safety with direct involvement and leadership by project staff during the past 12 months. See above for additional details.
Impacts
This research work and resulting outreach activities will help prevent the incidence and severity of injuries and health problems experienced by farmers, farm workers and family members working in agriculture. This will result in quality of life benefits for families, decreased pain and suffering, and decreases in costs associated with healthcare, treatment, rehabilitation, downtime, and property damage.
Publications
- Shutske, J.M., Gilbert, W, and Chaplin, J. 2000. Evaluation of a microwave/infrared human presence system for agricultural equipment. Submitted to Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health.
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Progress 01/01/99 to 12/31/99
Outputs
In 1999, there were 23 Minnesota farm fatalities based on data available up through mid-December. During the ten-year period 1990-1999, there was a total of 303 fatalities, including 57 involving a child below the age of 16. The most common agents involved in fatalities during the decade included: tractors (38.6%), machinery (12.9%), and grain bins (6.3%). Tractor rollovers were the most common cause of fatality events, accounting for 16.2% of the total. The death rate during the first five years of the decade averaged 38.0 deaths per 100,000 Minnesota farms. The second half of the decade saw an 11.2% decline in the death rate, averaging 33.7 fatalities per 100,000 farms in the state from 1995 though the end of 1999. The decline in the per capita death rate (a more common method for determining rates when denominator data is known) was likely greater than the 11.2% figure as the number of workers per farm increased during the 1990s, however, good denominator data is
not available to accurately determine the actual number of people working on Minnesota farms (including family workers, migrant labor, and other hired employees). Data from a variety of sources including the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), Minnesota newspapers, and death certificates are used to develop a comprehensive picture of the costs associated with machinery fires and farm worker deaths. An SPSS-based statistical program has been developed to analyze fire-related losses throughout the U.S. Farm fatality data is analyzed via a Microsoft Access database. Downtime losses for both fires and injuries are estimated using linear programming techniques that examine the relationship between timeliness and yield. Analysis of fire data over a recent 10-year period, indicates that there were 25,086 documented farm machinery fires on tractors, combines, and other types of mobile equipment throughout 44 states. This total included 1,218 fires in Minnesota. Average estimated
loss reported by fire service personnel was approximately $7,400 per event with a total loss over the ten year period of $185 million. This total includes only property damage, and not downtime. During that same ten-year period, the state of Minnesota averaged more than 30 work-related farm deaths and an estimated 150,000 injuries, though fatality numbers during the past five years have dropped significantly. A method has been devised to provide an accurate means of estimating downtime losses. Base data from the Purdue University PC-LP linear program has been modified to reflect Minnesota conditions including available days for field work during key cropping times. Estimates of an hour of lost time range significantly based on machine capacities, weather conditions, crop yield, and the time during which the downtime incident occurs. During harvest periods, these losses can be as great as $700-$900 per hour. Further analysis will factor in all related costs to develop a more
comprehensive picture of these important losses.
Impacts
Death rates on Minnesota farms have declined over the past ten years when measured by the number of deaths per 100,000 farms. As a result of research being conducted within this program, many new educational tools and techniques have been developed including programs related to stress management and injury prevention, and protecting children from injuries using a child development framework and research information related to childhood injury.
Publications
- Tripp, R., Olson, D., Shutske, J., Schermann, M. 1999. Health and safety issues in hog production. Journal of Agromedicine 6(2):3-23.
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Progress 01/01/98 to 12/31/98
Outputs
Farm work-related death surveillance was performed in 1998 using data obtained from news clippings and death certificates. The data were recorded using a standardized format that records variables describing the host, agent, and environment of the injury. The final Minnesota farm death count in 1998 as of December 31, 1998 was 28. This total will be confirmed by mid-February 1999 by matching death certificates with news reports, thereby confirming cause of death. A second research component has included a survey of the state's largest hog producers to assess their needs related to worker health and safety. North Carolina producers were also surveyed to determine whether employer needs differ in a state where a heavier degree of production consolidation had occurred. The types of injuries identified as having occurred most frequently in both states were similar. They included cuts, back/neck injuries, needlesticks, strains/sprains, and slips/falls. For most categories
of injuries and illnesses, North Carolina producers reported a higher incidence of injury/illness events. Employers in both states view veterinarians and pork industry magazines as the two most credible and useful sources of worker safety and health information. In Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Extension Service was ranked as the fifth most useful source with the Internet, NIOSH, and OSHA ranking near the bottom out of 20 sources. The largest percentage (35.4%) of Minnesota pork producers indicate that they are only willing to spend $1 to $199 in annual efforts to improve worker health and safety. This finding has important implications for small businesses in the state who hope to earn significant revenue by providing worker health and safety services in the state's pork industry. A third research component has included analysis of farm injury costs associated with downtime and lost production. The Purdue Crop/Livestock Linear Program (PC/LP) is being used to estimate
downtime losses resulting from farming injuries, machinery breakdowns, or other critical events that occur during different times of the cropping season. Data have been collected to modify the original PC/LP database. This data has been obtained from various Experiment Station locations in Southern Minnesota. Critical data includes good field days available during different time periods, machinery system information (tillage practices, field capacities, etc.), and labor availability. Downtime costs per hour of lost field time vary widely depending on the available field days, machine capacity (particularly planting and harvest equipment), and availability of additional labor. Using current crop prices as well as machine system and field day data for Southern Minnesota, costs range from $40 to $400 per hour of lost time. These costs are estimated based on the shadow prices calculated by the linear program as hours or days are removed from the resource mix used by the linear program.
These results can be used by insurers to estimate the true costs associated with farm injuries and by educators to emphasize the economic benefits of injury prevention.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Tripp, R., Shutske, J., Olson, D., Schermann, M. 1998. Needs assessment of employers in swine production facilities regarding employee health and safety. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 4:4(accepted - in press)
- Tripp, R., Olson, D., Shutske, J., Schermann, M. 1998. Health and safety issues in hog production. Journal of Agromedicine (accepted - in press).
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Progress 01/01/97 to 12/31/97
Outputs
Detailed records of deaths occurring in the farm work environment in Minnesota were collected principally via newspaper clippings, death certificates, and on-site investigations by the state's health department. In 1997, preliminary analysis of fatality numbers indicates that there were only 18 total deaths including four children below age 16 and 14 individuals age 16 and above. This is a significant decline from the 38 deaths statewide in 1996. Primary agents involved in Minnesota farm fatalities included tractors, machinery, toxic environments, falls, and animals. Significant progress occurred on a project examining the design, application, and testing of electronic human presence sensors to protect people working near rotating farm equipment components such as power take-offs, belts drives, and gears. This project was conducted in close cooperation with the National Farm Medicine Center in Marshfield, Wisconsin with support from the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health. Multiple sensing technologies were tested including radar, microwave, and infra-red to detect approaching human targets entering a pre-defined danger area. During system testing, project staff were tethered to a small diameter stainless steel cable attached under tension to a rotating drum that included components for measuring approach velocity and distance. To measure sensor performance, a laptop computer-based data acquisition system was developed to monitor sensor output and calculate the distance from the hazard at the time of detection as well as the approach velocity of the target during various time intervals prior to detection. These two parameters (distance and velocity) also allowed the system to calculate warning time, defined as the time available to process and react to the sensor condition such as a normally open relay closing. The data acquisition system performed well and could allow for many other types of sensor technologies and
components to be tested in the future as they are developed using a consistent, repeatable protocol. Test work confirmed that microwave and infra-red sensors are effective in detecting the approach of human targets approaching a pre-defined area. During these tests, the area was defined as a volume located directly behind a tractor hitched to a PTO-driven self-unloading silage wagon. The effectiveness of the system and reduction in false alarms is enhanced by using multiple sensing technologies simultaneously. During testing, a total of 822 test approaches were conducted and monitored using the data collection system. No false alarms or misses occurred. Depending on the angle of approach, various sensors provided for early enough detection to provide for 0.5 to 0.8 seconds of time to process the signal and provide additional action such as operator warning or machine shut-down. Clothing style did not seem to significantly effect system performance.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- SHUTSKE, J.M., GILBERT, W. and CHAPLIN, J. and MORGAN, S. 1997. Collision Avoidance Sensing For Slow Moving Agricultural Vehicles ASAE technical paper 97-5008, American Society of Agricultural Engineers.
- SHUTSKE, J.M., SCHERMANN, M. and GILBERT, W. 1997. Evaluation Protocols For Human Presence Safety Sensors On Agricultural Equipment, Paper Presented at International Agricultural Medicine Conference, Iowa City, Iowa.
- GERBERICH, S.G., GIBSON, R., FRENCH, L.R., RENIER, C.M., LEE, T-Y, CARR, W.P., and SHUTSKE, J. 1997. A population-based study of injuries among children in farm households: Regional Rural Injury Study - I (RRIS - I), In review.
- GERBERICH, S.G., GIBSON, R., FRENCH, L.R., LEE, T-Y., CARR, W.P., KOCHEVAR, L., RENIER, C.M., and SHUTSKE, J. 1997. A population-based study of machinery-related injuries: Regional Rural Injury Study - I (RRIS - I), In review.
- SHUTSKE, J.M., GILBERT, W. and CHAPLIN, J. 1997. Evaluation Protocols For Human Presence Safety Sensors On Agricultural Equipment, ASAE technical paper 97-5007, American Society of Agricultural Engineers.
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Progress 01/01/96 to 12/30/96
Outputs
Farm work-related death surveillance was performed in 1996 using data obtained from news clippings and death certificates. The data were recorded using a semi-standardized format that records variables describing the host, agent, and environment of the injury. The final Minnesota farm death count in 1996 as of December 31, 1996 was 35. This total will be confirmed by mid-February 1997 by matching death certificates with news reports, thereby confirming cause of death. A second research component has included the development and testing of automatic safety sensors and control systems to reduce the frequency of traumatic farm injuries. A microwave-based sensor system and data acquisition system was developed and tested on a farm tractor to prevent collisions with oncoming motor vehicles approaching from the rear. A second series of human presence sensors were tested to detect a person approaching a rotating component of a stationary machine. Follow-up testing will
examine combination sensors (microwave and infra-red) and then a protocol for testing of new safety sensor designs will be developed. A third research component has included additional analysis of farm injury costs associated with downtime and lost production. A new methodology for estimating these costs is being developed using the latest version of the Purdue University PC-LP linear program.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- SHUTSKE, J. 1996. Maximizing the utility of precision farming technologies whilemaximizing safety. Presented at Third International Precision Agriculture Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- SHUTSKE, J. 1997. Sensors for Safety. To be presented at ASAE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference '97, February 10-12, 1997. Louisville, Kentucky.Paper number pending.
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Progress 01/01/95 to 12/30/95
Outputs
Project MIN-12-027 was initiated on July 1, 1995. The project included monitoring farm work-related deaths through newspaper clippings and death certificates. Approximately 15-20 fatalities were recorded during the six month time period. The final count for 1995 has not yet been determined, but will be published in February or June of 1996. The 1994 death total using similar surveillance methodology was 24, the lowest in recorded history, and the lowest rate (per 100,000 farms). A second part of the project includes developing a computer model that will be used to determine the cost of downtime associated with farm injuries. An initial model has been developed using Purdue University's B-10 linear program for farm planning. Initial yield and economic coefficients have been developed to tailor the program for Minnesota use. Preliminary estimates using the model indicate that downtime losses can exceed $500 per day during the harvest season when a person is unable to work
due to an injury. The final part of this project involves the development and testing of a safety sensor system to protect rotating equipment such as PTO and chain/belt drives. Numerous sensor categories have been evaluated through a literature review and an evaluation matrix developed by the project team. Current work is focusing on the development of a sensor system that employs ultrasonic sensors, and a combination of radio-frequency and/or radar personal detection sensors.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- LEE, T., GERBERICH, S., GIBSON, R.W., CARR, W.P., SHUTSKE, J.M. AND RENIER, C.M. 1995. A Population-Based Study of Tractor Related Injuries: Regional Rural Injury Study. Journal of Occupational Medicine. Accepted.
- BOYLE, D.J., PARKER, D.L., LEXAU, C., WAHL, G. AND SHUTSKE, J.M. 1995. Agricultural Auger-Related injuries and Fatalities - Minnesota, 1992-1994. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 44(36):660-663.
- OHMANS, P. AND SHUTSKE, J. 1995. Laws and Policy. Farm Safety and Health Digest 3(2).
- OHMANS, P. AND SHUTSKE, J. 1995. Agricultural Safety and Health in Minnesota; A Resource Directory of Education and Research. Farm Safety and Health Digest 3(1).
- OHMANS, P. AND SHUTSKE, J. 1995. Farming and Stress. Farm Safety and Health Digest 2(4).
- SHUTSKE, J.M., PURSCHWITZ, M.A., JACOBSON, L.D. AND JANNI, K.A. 1995. Costs and Issues Associated With Implementing the Confined Space Standards in waste Storage Facilities. Journal of AGricultural Safety and Health 1(2):83-91.
- SHUTSKE, J.M. AND OHMANS, P. 1995. Shifting the Paradigm: Rethinking Our Approach to agricultural Safety and Health Issues. Journal of Agromedicine 2(3):39-46.
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