Farm safety is a complicated topic, but without a doubt, farming is one of the more dangerous professions in the world, partially due to how many people do it, and partially due to the dangerous nature of equipment and machinery that is used, like combines and tractors.
Based on projections, the world will need about 70% more food by 2050 for the predicted 10 billion people. That means it’s imperative to address the safety of our agricultural workers, so they can do their job with minimal risk of injury and mortality.
By examining the agricultural statistics, particularly those related to safety, we can learn how to increase safety and reduce accidents and injuries in agriculture. This article will cover statistics about farm safety with data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture, which The United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service conducts every five years.
It’s estimated that 80% of U.S. farm accidents result from carelessness or failure to deal with hazards safely. This means that taking proactive measures that help increase awareness of surroundings could significantly reduce farm accidents and injuries.
Backup and agricultural cameras are an excellent safety tool that farmers should use to increase awareness and mitigate potential hazards when operating vehicles and machinery. Camera Source provides the best backup cameras and accessories to fit your needs. Our agricultural cameras and accessories are as heavy duty as you are. Whether it’s equipping combines, tractors, UTVs, or trucks, we can help you get the job done safely.
General Farming Statistics
Below are some statistics about the farming industry.
- Globally, the agricultural industry employs an estimated 1.3 billion workers, and in the United States, it employed more than 2 million full-time workers in 2017.
- In the US, there are 2.04 million farms and ranches, staffed by 2.5 million farmworkers, and 1.5 million hired farmworkers.
- Farms with sales equal to or greater than $1 million (4% of all farms) generate 2/3 of the $389 billion in total value of production.
- 105,453 farms produced 75% of all sales in 2017.
- In 2017, 130,056 farms sold directly to consumers, with sales of $2.8 billion.
- Sales to retail outlets, institutions and food hubs by 28,958 operations are valued at $9 billion.
Agricultural Worker Demographics
To understand farm safety, we must also understand the demographics of those who work on farms. It may be an understatement to say that the farm business is a family business:
- 96% of farms and ranches are family owned.
- 731,000 youths are working in agriculture, and 65% of them are working on a family farm.
- An estimated 893,000 youth under 20 years of age resided on farms in 2014, with about 454,000 youth performing farm work.
While most U.S. farms are family owned, most of the work is performed by farmworkers from outside the U.S.. Hired workers perform an estimated 60% of the work on U.S. farms, and about 80% of hired farmworkers are foreign-born.
Like many industries in the U.S., agriculture is male dominated, but female inclusion is on the rise. Female producers made up 36% of farmers in 2017, a 27% increase from 2012. This is important to note for agricultural safety because women face unique safety concerns while working on farms:
- Women are especially at risk for injuries when working with large animals (dairy and beef cattle especially) as compared to men who are most often injured as a result of machinery-related hazards.
- Women working in animal agriculture may be exposed to animal health products that create unique health risks – such as administering reproductive hormones to animals.
Fatalities Statistics Related to Farm Safety
Across all industries, Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing has the highest rate of occupational deaths, followed by transportation, mining, and construction. The number of farm-accident fatalities is not declining in proportion to the decline in farm population, partly because of the increasing average age of people on farms.
- 480 farm work-related deaths occur per year for an annual rate of 22.2 deaths per 100,000 workers.
- 115 children ages 0-19 die each year farming. About 4/5 of these children were present in the workplace but not working.
- From 2001 to 2015, 48% all fatal injuries to young workers occurred in agriculture.
- In 2015, young workers were 44.8 times more likely to be fatally injured in agriculture when compared to all other industries combined.
Tractors are the leading cause of death, with about 125 per year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 258 fatalities related to farming activities in 2017. A tractor was involved in 103 of those deaths. Other deaths involve livestock, falls from heights, and suffocation from grain or gases.
Injuries Statistics Related to Farm Safety
There are no official statistics of nonfatal injuries; data is gathered from periodic surveys and other sources such as workers’ compensation data. This means that there might be far more injuries than what is otherwise reported.
- Every day, about 167 agricultural workers suffer lost-work-time injuries and 5% of these involve permanent impairment.
- Farm accidents are at their peak in June, July, and August--the most active period of crop production and harvest.
Common causes of farming accidents include defective farming equipment, missing product labels or equipment warnings, farm structure or equipment fails, and improper training.
The most common work injuries are associated with livestock, falls, and vehicles and machinery. Motor vehicles are most commonly listed as the cause of injury to farmworkers. Backup cameras increase drivers’ awareness of their surroundings, which can help reduce accidents and injuries associated with motor vehicles among agricultural workers.
Since the agriculture industry is rooted in family business, it makes sense to see such high rates of injuries among youth and children.
- Every day, about 38 children are injured farming and only 20% of them were working when injured.
- In 2014, an estimated 12,000 youth were injured on farms; 4,000 of these injuries were due to farm work.
The Cost of Agricultural Injuries
As important as the agricultural industry is, the cost of injuries can be particularly detrimental to farming communities and families.
- The annual cost of occupational injuries in agriculture is $8.3 Billion in medical costs and lost productivity.
- The cost of youth deaths is $420 Million per year.
- Average reduced income by 30%, which is above the industry average.
- The mean cost of a tractor overturn is $1,000,000.
Additionally, injuries result in the loss of productive workers, loss of machinery, and the overall reduction in production output. This does not include the emotional and physical distress that injured workers experience.
Preventing Injury on the Farm
As common as tractor related fatalities are, the most effective way to prevent tractor overturn deaths is the use of a Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS) with a seatbelt. In 2014, 62% of tractors used on farms in the US were equipped with ROPS. According to the CDC, if ROPS were placed on all tractors used on US farms manufactured since the mid-1960s, the prevalence of ROPS-equipped tractors could be increased to over 80%.
Backup cameras are another great way to reduce injuries sustained by workers. Camera Source is here to support farmers and agricultural workers with the best tools and equipment they need. We prioritize transportation safety, including that of agricultural transportation and machinery operation. Get in touch with us to discover more, we even do custom orders for commercial purposes!
