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Hazards >> Agriculture/farm workers

Agriculture/farm workers - occupational hazards

Snakes, insects in the close proximity -> Fatal or injurious bites and stings

Weather, climate (most agricultural operations are performed outdoors) – Exposure to extreme temperatures, UV rays, moisture, other weather conditions -> Dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, skin cancer

Physical labor, carrying loads, difficult working postures and lengthy hours - Agricultural work involves awkward and uncomfortable conditions and sustained carrying of excessive loads -> Numerous types of (largely unreported) musculoskeletal disorders, particularly soft-tissue disorders, e.g., back pain, intense muscular fatigue

Sharp tools, farm equipment, use of hazardous agricultural tools and machinery as most farm situations require a wide variety of skill levels for which workers have little formal training, and there are few hazard controls on tools and equipment -> Injuries ranging from cuts to fatalities; hearing impairment from loud machinery

Dusts, fumes, gases, particulates - Agricultural workers are exposed to a wide range of dusts and gases from decomposition of organic materials in environments with few exposure controls and limited use of PPE use in hot climates -> Irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, allergic reactions, respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Chemical hazards: extensive use of chemicals such as pesticides, more hazardous products are used in developing countries with minimal personal protective equipment (PPE) -> Acute poisonings, chronic effects such as neurotoxicity, reproductive effects, and cancer

Biological agents and vectors of disease - Workers are in direct contact with environmental pathogens, fungi, infected animals, and allergenic plants, they have intimate contact with parasites in soil, wastewater/sewage, dirty tools, and rudimentary housing, also ongoing, close contact with animals through raising, sheltering, and slaughtering, also exposed to a mix of biological agents, pesticides, and diesel fumes, all linked with cancer -> Skin diseases such as fungal infections, allergic reactions, and dermatoses, parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis, malaria, sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, ascariasis, and hookworm, animal-related diseases or zoonoses such as anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, and rabies (at least 40 of the 250 zoonoses are occupational diseases in agriculture), cancers (such as bladder cancer caused by urinary bilharzia contracted through working in flooded areas in North and Sub-Saharan Africa)

Reference used: http://www.ifpri.org/2020/focus/focus13/focus13_08.pdf

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  • January 7, 2007, 8:42 am - Frank S.

    Thanks. Good to have all hazards listed in one place.
    Add some more workplace hazards!