The Scary Truth Behind the American Agriculture Industry
Agriculture and its related industries provide employment for 11% of the entire US population. Direct, on-farm employment accounts for 2.6 million of these positions, or 1.3% of total employment in the US. And yet, farming has been said to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s twice as fatal as law enforcement, five times more deadly than firefighting, and 73 times more hazardous than an investment banking career on Wall Street. For people who work on farms, injuries and deaths are disturbingly common events that affect everyone. 22 out of every 100,000 farmers die on the job each year, with an additional estimated 58,000 injuries that occur.
Why is Farming So Dangerous?
It’s very normal for farmers to be working with heavy and dangerous machinery, equipment, and farm vehicles. In fact, tractor rollovers are responsible for one-third of all deaths on the farm. New tractors are now equipped with rollover protection, but a large majority of tractors do not have this new feature. Furthermore, working with large animals is a notable risk. Livestock can be unpredictable and erratic, which has the potential to cause great harm to an employee. Other factors that pose extremely high safety risks include electrocution from contact with overhead power lines or exposed underground lines, corn picker and combine accidents, and falls due to uneven or wet ground.
It’s worth to point out that many farmers live and work in the same place, as well. This can cause complacence when performing a risky task. As people become acclimatized to these dangerous duties, they may not treat them as such and can become more prone to error. When working with such unsafe machinery, one error could be life-threatening.
Agriculture in California
California leads the country in growth and production of fruits, vegetables, wine, nuts, cannabis, cotton, and flowers. Hence, it’s no secret that agriculture is one of the most dominant components of the state’s economy. California farmers received nearly $50 billion in cash receipts for their produce in 2018, indicating a small increase in profits since 2017. However, with these massive revenues come significant risks that employers in the agriculture industry must account for.
In addition to the risks previously discussed, heat hazards are a significant threat to California agriculture workers. During the summer months, increasingly hot and dry weather has dreadful effects on those required to work outside, putting farmers at serious risk of illness and death. Although the state is complying with regulations that require employers to provide shade when temperatures surpass 80 degrees, many employees are paid based on how much produce they pick, for instance. Therefore, the incentive to take a break in extreme temperatures simply isn’t there if it is a threat to an employee’s wage. Besides heat risk, California agriculture workers are also exposed to harmful chemicals and pesticides, such as fuels, solvents, insecticides, and fertilizers. Immediate effects of these exposures can include headaches, nausea, and burns; all of which could result in fainting or an employee losing consciousness. If this occurs, and the worker is alone, how would anyone know?
Mitigate Your Risks
The inaccessible and secluded nature of jobs within the agriculture sector often results in employees working unattended and alone in remote locations that are difficult to access. This, in addition to the numerous factors that make farming dangerous to begin with, is an added reason that can explain why the risk of injury or death is so high. Even though farming is one of the most dangerous jobs in California, it doesn’t seem like anyone is doing anything about it. This is where Scatterling can help your company to mitigate its risks in the agriculture industry.
Why Scatterling is a Good Fit
We solve the problem of organizations needing to monitor and locate their employees and resolve situations where emergencies have happened. We can help you with effective worker safety and monitoring services that can be used with any mobile device, anywhere there is cellular service. Fast response times, proactive monitoring, emergency panic buttons, and easy reporting to manage your people will limit your risk and liability exposure, as well as improve your operational costs. For California agriculture companies who are looking to cultivate a positive safety culture and employ proactive safety measures at work, we’re a perfect fit. If your company employees a workforce of lone workers, it is essential that you can ensure their safety in the field.