Using Past and Present to Map Future Actions March 2, 2001 Baltimore, MD Childhood Agricultural...

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