Health and safety of agricultural workers

Farming is one of the most hazardous occupations in the world. Each year almost 1,000 people die in the United States due to an injury on the farm. In addition, tens of thousands of disabling injuries occur to farmers each year. Numerous physical, chemical, and biologic hazards are commonplace in the agricultural workplace, and all may lead to serious injury, illness, or death if the farmer does not use self-protective measures. As farms become more mechanized, new hazards associated with the equipment may arise. State and federal agencies have rules and regulations to reduce some of the common farm hazards, but small family farmers often are exempt, Nonremovable safety guards on new equipment should decrease the rate of many farm injuries.