Using Past and Present to Map Future Actions

March 2, 2001

Baltimore, MD

Childhood Agricultural Health and Safety

Outline

• Reference Points in Agriculture at Risk

• Data

• Landmark Events

• Current Initiatives

• Challenges, Gaps, and Controversies

• Policy Implications

• Future Directions

Reference Points: Agriculture at Risk (1988)

• Pesticides: “figures donot take into account…toxicological data…special populations (e.g.infants or children)”

• Education: “recommend improvement of educational programs for at-risk populations…farmers, farmworkers, and their families”

Data: Farms and Youth

• 2.2 million U.S. farms in 1999

• 1.9 million youth <20 years living/ working on U.S. farms in 1988

• 128,000 hired adolescent farmworkers (14-17 years) in 1998

• Largest increase in hired youth workers is single males

2000 Ag Statistics, USDA, NAWS

Data: Youth Fatalities

• Annually, 104 children <20 years die• Fatality for workers ages 15-19 years is 12.2

per 100,000 FTEs (same as ages 20-54 years)• 40% deaths among males are 15-19 years• 40% deaths among females are 0-4 years• Highest fatality is in crop productionRivara; NCHS data: Adekoya & Pratt

Data: Youth Non-Fatal Injuries

• 32,800 injuries among young workers <20 years including residents and non-residents

• Farm resident youth account for 72% injuries

• Injury rate is 1.64/100 FTE for working males

• Males account for 80% all injuriesUSDA/NIOSH data

Characteristics of Injured Youth

• Majority of injured youth are white (non-Hispanic)

• Most fatalities result from traumatic brain injury

• Most injuries are contusions, lacerationsUSDA/NIOSH data; Rivara; MMWR; NCHS data

Cause of Fatalities

• Farm machinery (including tractors) accounts for 36% deaths

• Drowning accounts for 27% deaths (highest among very young)

• Tractors/machinery cause more male deaths

• Livestock cause more female deathsNCHS data: Adekoya and Pratt

Source of Non-Fatal Injuries

• 20% ground surfaces

• 9% animals

• 6% off road vehicles

• Hand tools

• Structures

• Ag machinery

• TractorsNIOSH data; MMWR

Landmark Events: Children, Agriculture, Health and Safety• 1947 - Full-time farm safety specialist hired -

emphasis on youth

• 1950 - National FFA initiated Chapter Safety Awards

• 1962 - National Safety Council initiated Youth Safety Awards

• 1988 - Farm Safety 4 Just Kids formed

• 1989 - Successful Farming reported“We Kill Too Many Farm Kids”

Landmark Events (cont.)

• 1992 - Child Agricultural Injury Prevention Symposium issued proceedings

• 1995 - Progressive Farmer began Farm Safety Camp initiative

• 1996 - U.S. Congress adopted National Action Plan: Children and Agriculture

• 1997 - NIOSH launched National Childhood Agricultural Injury PreventionInitiative

Landmark Events (cont.)

• 1997 - National Children’s Center for Rural & Agricultural Health & Safety established

• 1998 - GAO “Child Labor in Agriculture”report issued

• 1998 - NRC “Protecting Youth at Work”report issued

Current Initiatives: National Children’s Center, Marshfield, WI

• Technical assistance and professional training

• North American Guidelines for Children’s Agricultural Tasks

• National Adolescent Farmworker Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Committee

• Youth Tractor Operator’s Campaign

• 2001 Summit on ChildhoodAgricultural Injury Prevention

Current Initiatives: Federal

• NIOSH: Intramural research, surveillance

• NIOSH: Extramural research

• NIOSH: Federal Advisory Task Force

• USDA: State Cooperative Extension Service

• CDC/NIOSH: Conference support, professional training

• NIEHS Environmental HealthCenters for Children

Current Initiatives: NGOs

• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids - chapters, resources, training

• ASH-NET 15 year review of Ag at Risk• National Safety Council Ag/Youth Division• National SAFE KIDS Campaign• Youth-serving organizations (FFA, 4-H)• Migrant farmworker advocacy groups• University/Medical Center research• Other

Current Initiatives: Ag Business

• Progressive Farmer safety camps

• Insurance: Certified safe farms

• Corporate programs, marketing efforts

• Farm media’s focus on safety

• Other

Challenges: Farm Population

• Traditional practices involving youth

• Changing agriculture and workforce

• Economic hardship of farmers and workers

• Resistance to regulatory controls

• Limited enforcement of safety standards and child labor laws

• Benefits versus risk debate

Challenges: Safety Professionals

• Difficult to evaluate educational interventions

• Limited options for engineering out hazards

• Multiple programs and limited coordination

• Competition for resources

• Few feasible incentives for parental behavior change

Policy Implications

• NCCAIP 1996 Recommends– Establish, monitor child labor standards to reflect new

technologies, practices– Mandate restriction of youth <18 years from operating tractors

not equipped with ROPS and seatbelt– Require drivers’ license to operate tractors on public roads– Restrict youth from non-approved passenger areas of tractors

and machinery– Increase adherence to laws through

enforcement and penalties

Policy Implications (cont.)

• Recommendations in 1998-2000– “Eliminate Exemptions of Child Labor in Ag

Laws”• NRC report, DOL, proposed legislation (Harkin)

– “Restrict maximum weekly work hours to be consistent with non-ag work hours

• NRC report

Forecast: Beyond 2001

• Fewer “bystander” children exposed

• More adolescent workers employed

• Fewer tractor operators <16 years

• Increased international pressure to minimize child labor

• Consumer demands to limit ag products harvested by children

• New research may yield effectiveinterventions

Future Directions: Collaboration

• Maximize use of electronic communications

• Share resources, research, and intervention results

• Modify, adopt NAGCAT Guidelines

• Convene youth-specific conferences

• Implement recommendations of 2001 Summit on Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention

• We are making progress

• Lets work together to ensure a bright future for children and agriculture