ABSTRACT
Agriculture is among the most dangerous occupations in the United States. When injuries do occur, the emergency department (ED) is the primary source of care. Over a 2-year period, the emergency medicine section of the Marshfield Clinic/St Joseph's Hospital, cared for 913 victims of agricultural trauma. Although 11% were initially admitted and 4% were later treated, the remainder received their care solely in the ED. Unlike most occupational injuries, people of any age may be involved in agricultural injuries; 27% in this series were less than 18 years of age and 5% were 65 years or older. Just over half of all injuries were from mechanical devices, including tractor and farm machinery. The remainder were from animals, falls, or exposure. Although several different types of injuries occurred, the most common diagnoses were soft tissue injuries and fractures and the most common procedure was diagnostic radiography followed by wound and fracture care. An ED in a rural setting should be prepared to deal with agricultural trauma.
