Farmwork: One of the Most Dangerous Occupations

Have you thought about moving to the country and owning or working on a farm? Does the idea of escaping the high stress and crime of city life appeal to you? What about the possibility of expanses of wheat or cornfields instead of drab office buildings? Maybe you prefer riding a tractor instead of being stuck in an office eight hours or longer a day and caught in bumper-to-bumper Manhattan traffic to and from work? Ready to listen to cattle, horses, roosters and other farm animals instead of jackhammers, honking cars and sirens? As appealing as the country life may be, you may want to think again.

Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and cites approximately 1.8 million people worked full time in production agriculture in the United States in 2010. Farm injuries range from cuts and scrapes, to electrocutions, to poor building design, to machine malfunctions to toxic chemical and pesticide burns. A common web search will yield links to news articles and videos on farm accidents. For instance, the Journal Times in Racine, Wis., reported on Sept. 28, 2012, that two brothers in their 60s sustained injuries—one fatal–when they were trapped after a combine head tipped over. Fiction depicts farm accidents as well. In the coming-of-age movie The Man in the Moon, released in 1991, an actor portrays a 17-year-old boy who dies after he falls off a tractor.

If you work on a farm, you can take many steps to enhance safety. Some of the safety items include:

• Always reading and following instructions from manuals for equipment operators.
• Using straps or seatbelts on tractors, mowers or other machines.
• Training employees and family workers who will be working with farm equipment.
• Ensuring the machinery and equipment is always maintained; take care of the problem before it becomes worse.

If you were injured on a farm or ranch because of faulty equipment, hazardous work conditions or other factors, seeking the help of a New York attorney will help you settle your case.