# A breakdown of farm related hazards



## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

I thought this was an interesting article showing The farm can be a dangerous place. Tractors and machinery account for a full one-third of all agricultural injuries. The table below shows the various sources for farm injuries. 


1995 US Agricultural Injuries 
25% - Animals 23% - Farm Machinery 
other than tractors 9% - Tractors 
8% - Small power 
equipment 6% - Surfaces 5% - Other vehicle 
3% - Storage structures 1% - Chemicals 20% - Other 

According to studies at Ohio State University, tractor rollover accidents are the most costly and severe injuries in agriculture and are associated with the longest ICU stays and long hospital stays. 

Even the smallest tractors are bigger, stronger and heavier than you are. An accident with a tractor can be deadly and gravity is usually your worst enemy. The table below shows how tractor accidents can be fatal. [Note that tractors are often propped up in order for repairs to be made. When the jack or supporting structure slips or fails, the tractor can crush the would-be repairman. This type of fatality is considered "Other."] 


1995 US Tractor Fatalities 
Total 418 
55% - Overturns 25% - Runovers 
17% - Other 2% - PTO


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## kau (Sep 15, 2003)

You have a backlink to this study?

I've lost two relatives to tractor accident including my Grandfather.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

kau said:


> You have a backlink to this study?
> 
> I've lost two relatives to tractor accident including my Grandfather.


I'll check it out Keith, as this is a very important subject indeed.


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

There are several farmers that come into the store where I work in town with missing digits, limbs, and massive scars from farm life. Most of the time it is from simply not paying attention to what they are doing. You have to keep your wits about you all the time and not get complacent. Here on our farm, I have to constantly remind my dad to keep away from things. The one day I found him on a ladder by the feed conveyor pulling on the slats because the belt was loose and slipping, and he didn't want to take the time to tighten it. I spotted him and dashed into the barn to shut it off. I about decked him right then and there for being so stupid. Crap like that is what caused my one co-worker (a former farmer) to get both legs crushed in the swather and also caused a local farmer to lose both arms and have his upper body crushed by the corn picker. Its so easy to get complacent on the farm, but deadly as well.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

I would fall under the animal category cattle or horses, my dads tractor rollover incident is what retired him from the farm. This is a good read TB and you are right it is an important subject you can never be to safe.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

My best friend was changing the blades on a brush hog with the tractor running anf the bucket sitting on the ground while thr tractor was on a hill. I had come over with my 3/4 inch drive set to help break the nuts loose. I went to climb underneath there with him and asked if the brake was on, to which he said "No, but the bucket is down. I said to him...."hold on" and applied the brake and curled the bucket down and turned the machine off. My friend then acknowledged that this was probably a good idea!


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

tractor beam said:


> My best friend was changing the blades on a brush hog with the tractor running anf the bucket sitting on the ground while thr tractor was on a hill. I had come over with my 3/4 inch drive set to help break the nuts loose. I went to climb underneath there with him and asked if the brake was on, to which he said "No, but the bucket is down. I said to him...."hold on" and applied the brake and curled the bucket down and turned the machine off. My friend then acknowledged that this was probably a good idea!


 Very good idea and use something to keep the hog up sometimes the hydro will bleed down and let the hog down on you before you realize it. We had an old ford 3000 that was bad about the lift slowly bleeding down when the engine was off.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Good point. He was actually on a hill in such a way that even if it came down, you would have been okay I think, as he was right at the top of the hill, but good point nonetheless. Thanks for the heads up.


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