Non-fatal occupational injuries in British agriculture

Christine Solomon ¹, Jason Poole ¹, Keith T Palmer ² and David Coggon ^1*

¹ MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, United Kingdom
² MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, United Kingdom

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dnc{at}mrc.soton.ac.uk.

Accepted 18 May 2006

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the frequency, nature and determinants of non-fatal occupational injuries in British agriculture. Methods: As part of a postal survey, data on lifetime histories of work in agriculture and occupational accidents were obtained from men born during 1933-77 and resident in three rural areas of England and Wales. Incidence rates for different categories of accident were compared with those derived from statutory reporting. Associations with risk factors were explored by Poisson regression, and summarised by incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Results: Among the 10,765 responders (response rate = 31%), 3,238 (30%) reported at least one occupational accident at ages 14-64 years, leading to absence from work for three days or longer, including 1,492 accidents that could be linked to a specific job listed in the history of agricultural work. The reported incidence of injuries in agriculture was markedly higher than that derived from statutory reporting, particularly for self- employed farmers. During 1996-2003, the highest rates of agricultural accidents were from handling, lifting or carrying (4.9 per 1000 person-years), falls from a height (4.6 per 1000 person-years) and injury by animals (3.4 per 1000 person-years). After adjustment for calendar period and age, the risk of accidents was elevated in men who had only recently entered agricultural work (IRR 3.7, 95%CI 2.7-5.1 for men who had worked in agriculture for up to one year relative to those who had entered the industry more than 25 years earlier), and in those who carried out forestry (IRR 1.7, 95%CI 1.5-1.9). Conclusion: Our findings confirm the substantial under- ascertainment of serious accidental injuries in agriculture through statutory reporting, particularly for the self-employed. The risk of accidents is highest in new recruits to the industry, and in those undertaking forestry, and these groups should be a target for further preventive action.

Keywords: Accident, Agriculture, Occupation, experience, forestry

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