Fatal work related injuries in agricultural production and services to agriculture sectors of New Zealand, 1985-94
S Horsburgha, A-M Feyera, J D Langleyb
a New Zealand
Environmental and Occupational Health Research Centre, Department of
Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand, b Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of
Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Correspondence to: S Horsburgh shorsburgh{at}gandalf.otago.ac.nz
Accepted 14 March 2001
OBJECTIVES
To describe
work related fatal injuries to agricultural workers in New Zealand to
identify priority areas for further research and injury control measures.
METHODSInjury deaths
in New Zealanders aged 15-84 inclusive for the period 1985-94 were
identified and the coroner's files for these obtained. These files
were then reviewed to determine whether the death arose as a result of
work activities. Those deaths considered to be work related were coded
for information relating to decedent demographics and the circumstances
of the fatal injury. Work related deaths from injury occurring in the
agricultural production and services to agriculture sectors were analysed.
RESULTSThe rate of
fatal injuries to male agricultural workers over the study period was
21.2/100 000, with injury deaths in the agricultural sectors
accounting for nearly a quarter of all work related fatal injuries in
New Zealand in that time. There was no significant decline in fatal
injuries to agricultural workers in the study decade. Workers in the
65-84 age bracket were at substantially higher risk of fatal injury
than other age groups. Machinery and motor vehicles were commonly
associated with fatal injury, with overturns on or next to embankments
and slopes being the most frequent scenario.
CONCLUSIONSThe
results of this study highlight fatal injuries in older workers and
machinery incidents (particularly tractors overturning) as priority
areas for further research into contributing factors and injury control measures.
Keywords: agriculture; fatal injury
© 2001 by Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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