Influences of Disabling Conditions on the Nature And Frequency of Farm/ranch-related Injuries

Agricultural production remains one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. With an estimated 780 work-related fatalities and 140,000 non-fatal workplace injuries (National Safety Council, 1999), those engaged in agricultural production appear especially vulnerable to injury. The association between this high rate of injury and the prevalence of disability in the agricultural community is not well understood and little research has been conducted or published on the topic. Early studies by Tormoehlen (1982) suggest that approximately 17 % of farm operators had physical disabilities that prevented them from completing essential farm work-related tasks. More recent studies (Whitman, 1995, Allen, 1995, and Browning, 1997) further suggest that the increasing mean age of farm operators has led to a higher prevalence of disabling conditions due to age-related diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, stroke, impaired vision and hearing loss. These conditions or symptoms of the aging process are known to contribute, within the population at large, to an increased vulnerability to injury. This is clearly reflected in the growing proportion of farm work injuries involving persons over 60. Most, if not all, farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers are exposed to increased risk of injury, includin