Injuries to Youth on Hispanic Farm Operations (pre-survey flier)

Non-fatal Injuries to Youth Living on
Hispanic Farms, 2003

Hispanic Farm Operations
Delivering on the Nation’s promise
Safety and health at work for all people through research
and prevention

Just the facts . . .

To receive NIOSH documents or for more
information about occupational safety and
health topics, contact:

1-888-232-6348 (TTY)
E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh

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About 1/3 (17,300) of these farms reported
having youth less than 20 years old living on
them

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34,500 youth lived on these Hispanic-operated
farms

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540 injuries (1.5 injuries/day) occurred to
youth who lived on, worked on, or visited these
Hispanic-operated farms

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FT

Visit the NIOSH Web site at:

RA
D

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)

In 2003, 47,200 farms were operated by
Hispanics in the United States

Visit the NIOSH Childhood Agricultural Injury
Initiative site at:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/childag/

Nearly 2/3 (340) of the injuries were to youth
who lived on the farm
Between 1995 and 2002, 77 Hispanic youth died
on farms (42 deaths/100,000 youth)

The most common sources for the 340 nonfatal injuries to youth living on a Hispanic farm
were:
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Floors, walkways, ground (29%)

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Persons, animals, plants, minerals (21%)

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Vehicles (ATVs, tractors, automobiles,
17%)

The most common types of injury were:
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Broken bone (36%)

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Cut (15%)

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Bruise (13%)

The body parts most commonly injured were:
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Hand, wrist, finger (20%)

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Arm (17%)

Hispanic Youth Fatalities on Farms,
1995-2002
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Photograph courtesy of National Farm Medicine Center

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Non-fatal injury rates (per 1,000) for youth
living* on Hispanic farms by age group, 2003

Of the 77 Hispanic youth who died on farms
in the United States, most were between the
ages of 16 and 19
The majority of deaths to Hispanic youth on
farms were due to machinery (21%), such as
tractors; motor vehicles (18%), which
include ATVs; and drowning (15%)

16

Injuires/1,000 youth

Injuries to Youth on Hispanic
Farm Operations, 2003

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14
12
10
8
6
4
2

Safer · Healthier · People™

0

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2007-162
August 2007

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Understanding how to create a safe farm
environment is important for farm
operators and their families. Youth who
live and work on farms are exposed to
potentially dangerous farm-related
hazards more frequently than other
youth.

< 10
A ll I nj ur ies

∗

10 - 15

Age (years)
W o r k I nj ur ies

16 - 19

N o n - w o r k Injur ies

Includes all individuals 0-19 years of age who live
on a Hispanic farm operation.

Keeping Youth Safe Around Machinery

How to Keep the Youth on Your Farm Safe
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Children do what they see...be a good role
model for farm safety. Devote a day to
FARM SAFETY with your children.

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Inspect your farm for hazards to children.
Remove as many hazards as possible.
Mark dangerous areas clearly with hazard
signs.

•

•

•

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NEVER leave keys in the ignition of
machinery or vehicles.

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Limit operation of ATVs, tractors, and
machinery to older youth. ATV
manufacturers recommend that riders be at
least 16 years of age for ATVs 400 cc or
larger, and that they take an ATV safety
training course. Youth should not operate
any ATV without wearing a helmet.

Provide an enclosed and supervised safe
play area for children. Do not allow
children to play around machinery,
workshops, storage buildings, or where
work is occurring on the farm.
Assign farm chores to youth that are
appropriate for their age such as those
recommended in the North American
Guidelines for Childhood Agricultural
Tasks (NAGCAT).

Keeping Youth Safe Around Animals
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Teach youth how to handle and work with
animals safely.

•

Farm animals that are breeding, have
newborns, or are sick can be aggressive make sure children have no contact with
these animals.

•

Children should wear proper protective
clothing when handling animals. For
example, youth should always wear a
helmet when riding horses.

•

All household pets should have proper
health checks and shots.

Do not allow extra riders on tractors, all
terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other farm
equipment; follow the “ONE SEAT— ONE
RIDER” rule.

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Child labor laws require that hired youth
be at least 16 years old to operate tractors
and machinery on farms, except for 14and 15- year olds who have received
operator certification. All youth should be
properly trained before operating tractors
or machinery.

•

Child labor laws do not apply to youth on
their family’s farm. However, they are a
good guide for when youth are old enough
to do hazardous work safely.

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Youth, like adults, should not operate farm
tractors without a Roll-Over Protective
Structure (ROPS) and a seatbelt.

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Keeping Youth Safe Around Water
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Always supervise children when playing in or
near water.

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All entrances to ponds, lagoons, pools, and
manure pits should be restricted. All farm
ponds should have water safety and rescue
equipment.

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Alcohol contributes to many teen drownings
on farms. Talk to your teens about the
dangers of drinking and swimming.

•

Never leave containers with standing water
in areas where toddlers are present.

Farm Youth Dies After Being Engulfed
in Corn Inside of Steel Grain Bin
1995 — A 13-year-old male farm youth died
of injuries sustained after he was engulfed
in corn inside a grain bin. The youth and
his father had been using a portable auger
to remove corn from the bin. The youth
climbed the bin ladder to remove the cover
on the roof opening, and remained seated on
the roof ladder to observe the corn being
removed from the bin. The youth apparently
fell into the bin while his father was
moving the truck forward to be filled.

For More Information
National Children’s Center for Rural and
Agricultural Health and Safety
1000 North Oak Avenue
Marshfield, Wisconsin 54449
Telephone: 1-888-924-SAFE (7233)
Web: research.marshfieldclinic.org/children
North American Guidelines for Children’s
Agricultural Tasks (NAGCAT)
Telephone: 1-888-924-SAFE (7233)
Web: www.nagcat.org
Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
P.O. Box 458
Earlham, Iowa 50072
Telephone: 1-800-423-5437; 515-758-2827
Web: www.fs4jk.org
U.S. Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210
Telephone: 1-866-4-USA-DOL
Web: www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/
Agriculturalemployment.htm

INSURE KIDS NOW!!

Youth should not operate tractors or other
vehicles on public roads without a driver’s
license.

Your State , and every state in the nation, has a health
insurance program for infants, children, and teens. The
insurance is available to children in working families.
Make a free call to find out more about your State’s
Program.

Farm operators who hire youth to work on
their farm should be aware of all
applicable child labor laws.

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Telephone: 1-877-KIDS-NOW (1-877-543-7669)
Web: www.insurekidsnow.gov