Agricultural Safety & Health Council of America releases safety fact sheet

Dec 30, 2014

Annual cost of agriculture occupational injuries is about $8.3 billion

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

The Agricultural Safety & Health Council of America (ASHCA) released its safety fact sheet to put figures and facts to the dangers associated with working in agriculture in the United States.

Some findings taken from the 2012 Census of Agriculture were:

87% of farms are operated by families or individuals
30% of farm operators are female
22% deemed themselves as new farmers

Numbers from the 2013 United States Bureau of Labour indicate

The agriculture/forestry/fishing industry has the highest rate of occupational deaths (22.2 per 100,000 full-time workers)
115 children between 0-19 die and about 4/5 were merely present, and not working.
Tractors are the leading cause of death with 125 per year
The cost of youth fatalities is around $420 million annuallyStudies show that for every $1 invested in safety programs, farmers can save anywhere from $4 - $6.
The cost of youth fatalities is around $420 million annually

Earlier this year, the ASCHA announced grants of up to $10,000 being offered by a group consisting of agribusinesses and safety professionals. In June, grants were used towards initiatives including safety training, app development, and safe play areas for farmworker’s children.

“The applications were thoughtfully prepared and covered a number of topics related to ASHCA’s priorities, considering issues of national significance while acknowledging safety/health concerns of regional or commodity specific importance,” said Leon Graves, grants committee chair and vice-president of Dairy Marketing Services.

The deadline for applying for grants is January 7, 2015.

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