Fatalities Associated with Farm Tractor Injuries: An Epidemiologic Study

Death certificates were used as a source of information to characterize fatalities associated with farm tractor injuries in Georgia for the period 1971-81. In this period, 202 tractor-associated fatalities occurred among residents of Georgia; 198 of these persons were males. The annual tractor-assoc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Public health reports (1974) 1985-01, Vol.100 (3), p.329-333
Main Authors: Goodman, Richard A., Smith, J. David, Sikes, R. Keith, Rogers, Donna L., Mickey, Jean L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidents
Accidents, Occupational
Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Age groups
Aged
Agriculture
Child
Death
Death Certificates
Epidemiologic Methods
Epidemiology
Family farms
Farm tractors
Female
Georgia
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Mortality
Physical trauma
Public health
Seasons
Sex Factors
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Death certificates were used as a source of information to characterize fatalities associated with farm tractor injuries in Georgia for the period 1971-81. In this period, 202 tractor-associated fatalities occurred among residents of Georgia; 198 of these persons were males. The annual tractor-associated fatality rate for males based on the population of male farm residents was 23.6 per 100,000; rates of fatal injury increased with age for this population. Persons whose primary occupation was other than farming accounted for more than half of all tractor-associated deaths. Fatal injuries occurred throughout the year but predominantly during the planting and harvesting months. Injuries occurred throughout the day (7 a.m. to midnight), with a peak at 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Most fatal injuries, 76 percent, resulted when tractors overturned. Fatalities were attributed to crushed chest, exsanguination, strangulation or asphyxia, drowning, and other injuries. Current safety standards for the operation of farm tractors are limited; rollover protective canopies are not required for farm owners or their family members. Descriptive epidemiologic information obtained from death certificates can be used to define injury determinants and to suggest approaches for the further study and prevention of specific types of injuries.
ISSN:0033-3549
1468-2877