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Rural Industries
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|| Introduction || Project listing|| Project Summaries ||
The health and safety of the rural work force is a key factor in industry productivity. It is reflected in the farm business as a cost associated with workers compensation, accident insurance, absenteeism and, all too often, death from tractor accidents, etc. Social costs accrue from stress, allergies, loss of physical or mental ability and from family break-up, etc.
The Corporation has determined a need to actively support community farm safety groups, such as Farmsafe Australia, and the extension of Worksafe Australia programs within the rural community.
Collaboration with State Workcover Authorities is also encouraged. A joint venture R&D program with the Grains R&D Corporation, Meat Research Corporation and the International Wool Secretariat has been established.
Research Highlights for 1996-97
· Development of a rural safety education in schools curriculum by the Victorian Farmers Federation. Its broader application across Australia is under consideration.
· Analysis of farmers' perceptions of risk to improve the effectiveness of farm health and safety programs.
· Evaluation of farm tractor and utility seats in order to minimise back injuries - injuries which cost the farming community millions of dollars in lost time and productivity.
· Commencement of a national farm injury data collection system to aid in the development of effective strategies for injury prevention.
A NATIONAL DATA COLLECTION FOR FARM INJURY PREVENTION
Objective
· To develop a national farm injury data collection system designed for the identification and assessment of injury risk associated with farms and agricultural practices in Australia, so that effective strategies for injury prevention are developed and implemented by relevant agricultural industries, local and state Farmsafe organisations and Farmers Australia.
Background
Farm injury is identified as a major occupational risk but little has been done to quantify the problem. This project seeks to achieve this.
Research
Data sources were reviewed by a full time employee and a technical committee.
Outcomes
Agricultural industry data requirements were identified, relating to: local area data, industry specific information, injuries to specific age groups and sexes, information specific to particular processes (eg: harvesting), agency specific information (eg: tractors), injury type, intent of injury - intentional self harm, and body part affected. These specific needs have been incorporated into the document: 'The Farm Optimal Dataset - Farm Injury Surveillence and Coding Guidelines'.
Members of the Technical Committee have both provided advice regarding existing farm injury data collections, and have provided access to farm injury data as is feasible. All relevant sources of farm injury data have been incorporated into 'The National Farm Injury Data Collection'.
The strengths and weaknesses of the various data sources were investigated and considered by a meeting of data managers. The findings are summarised in 'Farm injury data in Australia: Options for improvement in collection and dissemination'.
The 'Profile of Health and Safety of Australian Farmers, Farm Families and Farm Workers' has been produced and upgraded on an annual basis. The data has provided the basis for the development and adoption of the goals and targets of Farmsafe Australia - Goals, Targets and Strategy: 1996-2001 May 1996.
A profile for the NSW Farmsafe organisation was also produced - 'Profile of the Health and Safety of NSW Farmers, Farm Families and Farm Workers' June 1996
Recommendations
· That improved farm "denominator data" be pursued so that more rigorous baseline data may be provided on which to base farm injury prevention programs at all levels.
· That improved and standardised accident investigation systems be established so that causal factors may be determined for serious injury and deaths on farms. Specifically these are required for tractor injury and death due to roll over and run over, machinery and child deaths.
· That further attention be given to adoption of the recommended optimal data set for farm injuries by major data sources. These include hospital, workers compensation, general practitioner and coronial derived injury data systems.
· That increased attention be given to data quality by data managers of major data systems. Major problems relating to misclassification and missing data are seriously limiting the utility of currently collected data.
· That Farmsafe Australia and its member agencies support efforts being made to computerise injury and deaths data available through the Coroners' System in each state.
RIRDC Project No: AHU-1A
RESEARCHER: Lyn Fragar
ORGANISATION: Australian Agricultural Health Unit, PO Box 256
MOREE NSW 2400
PHONE: 067 528 210 FAX: 067 526 639
EVALUATING FARM TRACTOR AND UTILITY/4WD SEATS
Objectives
· To assess a range of seats in new and older tractors and farm vehicles to determine the contribution poor seating has on long term back injury.
· Specifically, to evaluate a range of tractor and vehicle seats and prepare a report for release to the industry.
Background
Farmers who spend long days in their utes, tractors and headers could be prematurely damaging their spinal systems, costing the farming community millions of dollars in lost time and productivity.
Test conducted by the Kondinin Group reveal that the seating in the majority of tractors in use today is not adequate for the occupant. And farm vehicles are much worse. Vibration levels exceed levels recorded in tractors and the ergonomic design of the cabins falls short of acceptable levels.
This work is a follow on study from project No KDI-8A "An evaluation of farm lift hoist and other back saving equipment". Much of the problem was thought to stem from inadequate tractor and vehicle seating and hence the need to investigate seating in detail.
WorkCover statistics for NSW show that the incidence of back injuries in agriculture is twice that of other industries. The cost is estimated to be around $4.5 m in 1991-92 being an average of $10,700 per person. Most of the claims related to the lower back.
Research and Outcomes
Back injury is a problem that continues to plague our farming community. The Kondinin Groups' 1994 National Agricultural Survey (NAS) found that 22% of farmers had suffered back injury in the past 12 months and a further 45% had experienced back pain in this time.
One half of the respondents in the survey rated the support their seat offered as below average and 65% of farmers rated their utility (ute) or 4WD seats as having below average adjustments. This contrasts to tractors where only one quarter were critical of the support and adjustments of the seating.
Engineering tests and an ergonomic assessment of a range of seats confirmed the opinion of those farmers surveyed. Most tractor and vehicle seats are not providing adequate support for the occupants.
Implications
It is clear that the range of support provided for farmers by their tractors and farm vehicles is far from being acceptable. This implies that health related problems due to poor backs will continue to plague our community, costing millions of dollars.
It is recommended that the WorkCover "Backwatch" program be supported and other initiatives alerting farmers to the importance of the backcare be supported. To a large extent many of the problems associated with bad backs will be reduced through increased awareness and communications.
Secondly, the ergonomic design of imported 4WD vehicles needs improvement. This has been discussed with the companies concerned and design changes are being considered at present.
RIRDC Project No: KDI-10A
RESEARCHERS: Geoffrey Hamilton Kondinin Group, 51 Gurwood Street,
PO Box 913, WAGGA WAGGA NSW 2650
CLOVERDALE WA 6105
PHONE: 069 214 047 09 478 3343 FAX: 069 214 182 09 478 3523
SURVEY OF FARM WORK INJURY TO ASSIST INTERVENTION PLANNING BY FARM SAFETY ACTION GROUPS AND INDUSTRY
Objectives
· To undertake a statistically based farm survey in four regions of Queensland based on local authority boundaries, to define the type of workplace injury and illness in the preceding 12 months by agency, context, location, nature, body part, lost time, economic cost and number.
· To identify chronic work-related injury and illness issues and make up of the farm workforce and hours worked.
· To present survey results to local industry groups through seminars, measure the level of acceptance of the survey findings, and discuss strategies on how the results may be used most effectively.
Background
Comparison of the extent and severity of rural industry's non-fatal work-related injury profile with that of other injuries is not well understood. In fact, it is misleading when people extrapolate information about rural injury incidence based on Workers' Compensation data to the broader industry. In Queensland, the incidence of injury to employees on farms reported to Workers' Compensation represent only 7-19% of all injuries reported.
These data therefore give an incomplete picture of rural injury in Queensland and Australia generally. The data are skewed by those sectors which employ labour (of unpaid family labour on farms).
Research
A detailed survey by means of questionnaire (designed by the Queensland Government Statistician's Office), within four regions and covering 11 shires and 8 major industries was undertaken to acquire data on farm injuries/illnesses. The acquired data were recorded, encoded, analysed and published in a comprehensive report.
Outcomes
Of 2188 producers sampled, some 1515 (69%) provided useable responses. A total of 302 injuries/illnesses were reported from 204 farms. Work-related injuries/illnesses comprised 8% of the total and included zoonotic infections (3.6%), chemical poisoning (2.2%) and respiratory illness (2.2%).
The average injury rate was 20.2 per 100 farms (2.99 per 100,000 hours worked). Beef cattle had the highest rate of 4.6 per 100,000 hours worked - this is equivalent to the rate recorded (second highest for a Queensland industry) for light manufacturing industry. Rates for both beef and dairy cattle (3.14 per 100,000 hours worked) were significantly higher than those for sugercane (1.92) and cereals (1.54).
Activities being undertaken at the time of injury were animal handling (40%), general maintenance (27%), cropping (10%), and produce handling/processing (5%). Specific animal handling activities were those associated with: yards and races (15% of all cases), mustering (16%), and milking (6%). Maintaining equipment in the workshop (11%), fencing (8%), and irrigating crops (5%) were also major activities during which injuries occurred.
The average overall cost per injury was $4,449, but for 89% of cases where the medical cost was less than $1,000 and fewer than 30 days' time was lost, the average cost was $951. The remainder (11% of cases) had an average injury cost of $21,871.
RIRDC Project No: QDE-1A
RESEARCHER: Mr K H Ferguson
ORGANISATION: Department of Training and Industrial Relations, Division
of Workplace Health and Safety, GPO Box 69 BRISBANE QLD 4001 PHONE: 07
3247 4860 FAX: 07 3220 0143
THE EFFECTS OF WHOLE BODY VIBRATION ON THE SPINE IN FARMERS DRIVING TRACTORS
Objectives
· To develop a whole body vibration profile experienced by farmers driving tractors and to replicate this in the laboratory.
· To investigate the effects of the whole body vibration in a seated rotated position, on fatigue in farmers and in those not normally exposed to vibration.
· To develop guidelines for the safe exposure to vibration in rotation and to disseminate this information to farmers.
Background
Back pain is one of the most frequently occurring and most costly problems in occupational health. It is more common in occupations such as truck and tractor driving where there is an exposure to vibration. Some 43% of sprain/strain injuries in farmers have been found to be back strain injuries. Whole body vibration, a mechanical stress transmitted via the supporting surface (the seat and back support) to the human body, is believed to make an important contribution to these injuries. A better understanding of the factors involved should lead to a reduction in the occurrence and severity of these injuries by permitting better design of seats/back supports and by the development and promotion of other practices which may minimise the likelihood of injury.
Research
In laboratory studies both farmers and non-farmers (those with no previous experience of driving tractors) were exposed to whole body vibration at various frequencies and times of exposure on a mechanical device simulating the conditions experienced by tractor drivers on uneven terrain. Following exposure, muscle performance and the degree of lumbar creep (stretching of the spine) were measured.
Outcomes
In the case of trunk muscle performance, farmers demonstrated a greater response to the experimental condition (vibration in a seated rotated posture) than did the non-farmers. Movements into rotation were most affected, leading to the further question of whether the vibration or the rotated posture was primarily responsible for the changes. For one movement, rotation torque to the right, the response was opposite in farmers to that in non-farmers.
Farmers demonstrated less creep in the lumbar spine as a result of exposure to vibration. The mechanisms for this difference are not apparent, but may relate to degenerative changes in the lumbar spine of farmers.
No clear effect of vibration on the rate of fatigue of the extensors of the spine could be demonstrated. Further data collection is needed to clarify the effect of vibration and rotation on the rate of fatigue.
Implications
After exposure to vibration and rotation, there was decreased performance in the trunk muscles which produced rotary movements of the spine to the left. After vibration farmers were less able to rotate to the right. In farmers, this decreased strength and amount of movement when turning to the left increases the risk of injury after dismounting from the tractor.
A better understanding of the various factors involved should lead to improved seat/back support design, and the development of strategies which will reduce the incidence and severity of lower back injuries in farmers.
RIRDC Project No: USA-2A
RESEARCHERS: Sheila Scutter & Ian Fulton
ORGANISATION: School of Physiotherapy, University of South Australia, North
Terrace ADELAIDE SA 5000
PHONE: 08 8302 6611 FAX: 08 8302 2466
RURAL SAFETY EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Objective
· To contribute to a reduction in the incidence and severity of injury to primary school aged children in rural settings through the development, production and distribution of a well targeted curriculum program for teachers.
Background
This project was undertaken by the Victorian Farmers Federation, with assistance from a Steering Committee of farmers and health and safety organisations. An unexperienced safety education curriculum consultant was contracted to carry out the project. The project was completed on time and on budget, within a 7 month period spanning 1996-97. This period was greatly reduced (by a total of 3 months) from that originally requested. Consequently the promotion and distribution phases had to be reduced in scope. The shortened form of these were completed by 1 April 1997, one month earlier than originally planned.
Research
The RIPPER material was developed through a process of analysing rural child injury prevention needs, educational opportunities and existing materials. Draft materials were written and trialed by 20 Victorian rural primary schools and reviewed by 10 external reviewers. Evaluation feedback was used to refine and improve the material, and to determine an appropriate promotional strategy.
Outcomes
The resulting curriculum material - RIPPER - was well received by trial schools and external reviewers. An appropriate promotional strategy was developed and executed through a combination of distributing a media release announcing the program and by a targeted mailout of a promotional brochure to 500 Victorian rural primary schools.
There are early signs that other states would also be interested in introducing RIPPER into their primary schools.
Implications
RIPPER is relevant to rural primary school children around Australia. The material is suitable for use by rural primary schools in all states. Additional support from RIRDC to other states would facilitate and encourage the introduction of RIPPER nationally.
Further future developments such as the production of parent materials or the conduct of a parent program would expand the impact of RIPPER and consolidate the children's learning. This would increase the likelihood of reductions in the severity and frequency of rural child injuries being achieved and make further inroads into developing a culture of safety in farming communities.
RIRDC Project No: VFF-1A
RESEARCHER: David Griss
ORGANISATION: Victorian Farmers Federation Inc., 24-28 Collins Street,
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
PHONE: 03 9207 5555 FAX: 03 9207 5500
PUBLICATIONS: RIPPER - Rural Injury Prevention Primary Education Resource. Victorian Farmers Federation ISBN 0646 307886 $15 per copy
ANALYSIS OF FARMERS' PERCEPTIONS OF RISK TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FARM HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAMS
Objectives
· To identify those attributes of farm hazards that are used by farmers to make decisions about accepting or reducing the risk associated with these hazards.
· To produce perceptual maps and to interpret these to show how farmers perceive hazardous situations that can lead to physical injury, relative to other hazards they face in the farming occupation.
· To identify strategies for promoting occupational health and safety among farmers by using the perceptual maps to compare the positioning of physical injury hazards with other farm hazards.
· To publicise these strategies among agencies and community groups who are preparing and promoting educational messages about farm health and safety.
Background
Among occupational health and safety agencies in Australia, farms are recognised as high risk workplaces. They are also one of the most difficult workplaces to reach with the policy instruments available to government. Some of the reasons for this include the presence of family members in the work place; the fact that many farm businesses are operated by people who are self-employed; the geographical dispersion of farm businesses; and the lack of unionised employees with an incentive to monitor workplace safety standards.
For these reasons, regulations are difficult to enforce, and have always been considered reluctantly where farm workplaces are concerned. Consequently, there is an ongoing need for research into alternative ways of promoting occupational health and safety among farmers.
Research
The research was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, focus groups were conducted with farmers to identify a set of occupational hazards of concern to them. This information provided a basis for the design of the survey that was conducted in the second stage of the research. In this stage, individual interviews were conducted with farmers in which they were asked to make comparative judgements about some of the hazards identified in the first stage of the project.
In the third stage we drew on techniques such as perceptual mapping and multiple regression to compare farmers' perceptions of manual handling hazards with their perceptions of other farm hazards. The insights gained from these analyses were used to develop recommendations as to how programs, or educational messages about farm safety might be adjusted so as to increase their effectiveness.
Outcomes
The research demonstrates that farmers distinguish between farm hazards on the basis of a number of attributes, including the likelihood; controllability; financial consequences; and the potential to impact on other people on the farm.
In contrast, horse related injuries were consistently positioned in a region of the perceptual maps corresponding with perceptions of low controllability, low likelihood, low financial consequences and a low potential to impact on others. Not surprisingly, this hazard was also perceived to be relatively unimportant to be doing something about. This is a disturbing finding given that horses have been identified as one of the three most common agents of all farm injuries presenting to hospital emergency departments in north west NSW, and that approximately one quarter of these horse related injuries were to the rider's head.
Implications
Because different perceptions present different opportunities for promotion, in the research report different strategies are suggested for promoting safe practices with respect to different types of hazards. These strategies are centred on, to varying degrees, design initiatives; initiatives aimed at identifying safe practices; and initiatives aimed at building on, or reinforcing perceptions that farmers already hold, depending on the combination of attributes that farmers associate with a hazard.
For example, on the basis of farmers' perceptions of psychological stress, we suggest that farmers are likely to be receptive to promotion strategies that focus on identifying effective mechanisms for them to better manage stress. In contrast, we suggest that strategies for persuading farmers to take action to prevent horse related injuries will need to convince farmers it is important to be taking action to avoid horse related injuries (for example, by highlighting the potential for serious injury and the consequences of a serious injury at a personal level).
RIRDC Project No: UNE-42A
RESEARCHERS: Ms Jean Sandall and Mr Ian Reeve
ORGANISATION: The Rural Development Centre, University of New England,
ARMIDALE NSW 2350
PHONE: 02 6773 2220 FAX: 02 6773 3245
EMAIL: jsandall@metz.une.edu.au ireeve@metz.une.edu.au
Last updated: 22 October1997
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