2002 Annual Report
Research
Surveillance of Work-Related Deaths on Minnesota Farms
Michele Schermann, Research Fellow
Stacey Jenkins, Extension Educator
John Shutske, Associate Professor
Funding Source
Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station
Objective
- Monitor farm work-related fatality events and the circumstances that surround these events.
- Analyze the characteristics of the host, agent, and environment for each fatality event and use summary data to more effectively target extension education and research-related prevention efforts.
- Provide current data on farm deaths and non-fatal injuries (from other
sources) to various agencies and individuals engaged in prevention activities
to assist in program planning and goal setting.
Project Description
A database is used to track and analyze all fatalities that occur in
the farm workplace. Currently, the database holds fatality data from 1980
to the present. Data are obtained from news clippings, death certificates,
and case reports. We use the fatality data to give us a picture of the
kinds of fatalities that occur in Minnesota. All deaths occurring in the
farm work environment, including those of children and visitors, are included
in the database. This surveillance helps us bring important prevention
information to the attention of Minnesota residents so that they will
be aware of potential dangers in the farm work environment.
Results
In 2002, there were a total of 27 fatalities based on data available
through early December. During the ten-year period 1992-2001, there were
a total of 295 fatalities. Thirty-four percent of fatalities involve a
tractor, with tractor rollovers the most common cause of fatality events.
Of those 295 fatalities, 52 (18%) were under the age of 16 years; 81 (27%)
were 65 years or older. Twenty-three (8%) were female.
The death rate during the last decade averaged 39.8 deaths per 100,000
Minnesota farms. These data are available to the public via the farm fatality
assistant web page (safety.coafes.umn.edu/countyselector.html). These
numbers are used by a variety of organizations and individuals to determine
program priorities during their planning processes.