Respiratory fit testing for farmworkers in the Black Dirt region of Hudson Valley, New York.

Respiratory protection in agriculture has lagged behind other industries. Migrant farmworkers often work in dusty environments yet do not receive appropriate, fitted respiratory protection. During May and June of 2013, researchers pilot-tested a respiratory protection program adapted to fit the unique needs of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. It was implemented in Spanish, with literacy support, at convenient times and locations. Additionally, staff was known to workers, and a farmworker medical center provided medical follow-up. Fifty-six farmworkers participated (68%; 82 invited). Of the participants, 88% were male; 20% reported using respiratory protection. One worker had been fit tested previously; 57% reported being exposed to pesticides. All but six farmworkers passed the medical clearance (91%). The mask most commonly fit to the American-born population was a good fit for only 41% of Latino farmworkers. The fact that two thirds of invited farmworkers participated in the clearance and over half completed mask fitting indicates that the modified protocol meets farmworker needs. A wide range of mask types should be made available for Latino farmworkers.

Migrant and seasonal crop worker injury and illness across the northeast.

BACKGROUND: Northeast farmworkers are a small, widely dispersed, and isolated population. Little is known about their occupational injury and illness risk. METHODS: Researchers conducted chart reviews in migrant health centers across the Northeast, and calculated incidence-density for agricultural morbidity based on a new method for estimating total worker hours at risk, and adjusting for cases seen at other sources of care. RESULTS: An estimated annual average of 1,260 cases translated to an incidence of 30.27 per 10,000 worker weeks, (12.7 per 100 FTEs). Straining/spraining events (56% cases) was the most common occurrence (16.8 per 10,000 worker weeks), and lifting (21.5% cases) was the leading contributing factor. Incidence by crop category ranged from 12.95 (ground crop) to 29.69 (bush crop) per 10,000 weeks. Only 2.8% filed for Workers' Compensation. CONCLUSION: The predominance of straining/spraining events affecting the back, and their association with lifting suggests that Northeastern farmworker occupational health programs should focus on ergonomics, and specifically on safe lifting.

An ergonomic assessment of the long handle blueberry harvesting rake.

BACKGROUND: Previous work shows the superiority of the long-handled blueberry harvesting rake (LHR) for worker preference and productivity compared to the short-handle rake (SHR). METHODS: Post-shift interviews on occurrence, location, and severity of pain, and video-based observation of body postures enabled ergonomic assessment of Maine workers harvesting blueberries. Workers randomly crossed between LHR and SHR on consecutive work days. Wilcoxon tests compared proportions of specific body postures between LHR and SHR. RESULTS: Subjects used SHR for shorter work periods than LHR. Thirty workers provided interviews for both one LHR and one SHR shift. Assessment of these matched pairs suggested a trend toward less frequent overall pain (P = 0.07) and back pain (P = 0.11) with the LHR versus the SHR. Video tape analysis included 17 sets of observations (8 SHR and 9 LHR) on 12 individuals. Posture assessment showed more severe forward bend and squatting with the SHR and more moderate/neutral postures with the LHR. CONCLUSION: Harvesting with the traditional SHR is likely to be associated with increased frequency of pain in general, and mid-low back pain in particular, when compared to the newer LHR. This may well relate to the work postures associated with each rake. Periodicals, Inc.

Farm safety education in New York Mennonite schools.

This intervention delivers agricultural safety information to Mennonite youth, grades 1 to 8 in their schools. The purpose is to reduce injuries in the Groffdale Conference, an Old Order Mennonite community in Yates County, New York. The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) assisted community members to create an appropriate farm safety presentation for Mennonite children. A vital aspect of this approach is that members of the Old Order community are the educators who are delivering the information in a culturally appropriate manner. As an outside organization, it is unlikely that NYCAMH would have access to this population to directly deliver youth farm safety education.

Dealing with pre-ROPS tractors: is a trade-in program the solution?

Tractor overturns are the leading cause of work-related death in an industry with the highest occupational fatality rate. Rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seatbelts are 99% effective in reducing the risk of an overturn fatality. However, kits are not available for 20% of tractors currently lacking ROPS. For these tractor owners, two potential solutions have been discussed: (1) technology for reinforcing tractor axles to accommodate ROPS and (2) a pre-ROPS tractor removal program. The purpose of this study was to conduct preliminary research to assess the feasibility of a tractor trade-in program. Focus groups were conducted with pre-ROPS tractor owners and tractor dealers. The data were analyzed using a concept development analytical approach and results were reviewed in an industry stakeholder's workgroup session. Data from the research indicates that tractor owners and dealers would need persuasive financial incentives to participate in a trade-in program. The workgroup session also indicated that it would be difficult to fund or support a large-scale initiative, and the economics of removing a large group of older tractors from the marketplace may exacerbate financial roadblocks. However, the data from this study could be used to pilot test a small-scale, focused, tractor buy-back program.