Older Farmers Face More Dangers

By John Seewer, The Associated Press

July 1, 2007

John Kidd has been farming since he was in grade school 70 years ago. He's had his share of bumps and bruises along the way -- and more.

This spring, his legs were crushed when he was pinned by a truck that fell off a hoist at his farm near Bowling Green, Ohio. The accident sidelined him during planting.

"I've had a lot of things happen to me," said Kidd, 82. "I've cut the tip of my nose off when a tire blew."

In an already dangerous occupation, the risks increase for older farm operators, who account for a growing percentage of all farmers.

They can't dodge cattle like they once did, and years of sitting on tractors and combines have left many with damaged hearing. Arthritis and poor eyesight are common.

The ailments hinder their ability to know when trouble is around the corner.
Those 75 and older are twice as likely to die than younger farmers in accidents on the job, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Tractor rollovers are the most frequent cause of death among all farmers, studies have shown.

"Older folks hang onto older equipment," said William Field, supervisor of Breaking New Ground, an outreach program for disabled farmers in Indiana. "Those are what seem to be killing people. They're the older machines that don't have rollover protection."

Nearly half of the 185 Indiana farmers killed on the job over the last decade were 60 and older, according to statistics compiled by Purdue University's Agricultural Safety and Health Program.

Some of those accidents involved tractors that were a half-century old.
"If grandpa's helping out, put him in the safest tractor you have," Field said. "Don't put him on the old tractor he's grown to adore."

More farmers and ranchers -- 341 -- died in 2005 than in any occupation except truckers and others who drive for a living, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Farmers are exposed almost daily to moving machines, chemicals and repetitive motion. They also have the highest death rate from stress-related complications such as hypertension, ulcers and nervous disorders.

Many farmers feel pressure to keep farming because they don't have a retirement plan. There are worries about the weather and finances, too.
They work long hours during planting and harvest seasons. That sometimes leads to short cuts and accidents, said Deborah Reed, a University of Kentucky professor who studies agriculture health.

Older farmers have higher rates of skin cancer and high blood pressure, a survey of Kentucky farmers found eight years ago. Falls were the primary cause of injuries, the survey said.

"The work is more seasonal and they're not used to be out doing physical work," Reed said.

More older people also are retiring to the country and dabbling in farming. "Those are the ones I'm really worried about," Reed said. These folks really receive no training. They are lucky if a seasoned farmer teaches them."
Most of the safety awareness campaigns and research into farm accidents have focused on children even though injuries among the oldest farmers are more common.

Researchers say it's easier to get federal grant money to study child safety on the farm because it is a more emotional issue.

"It's sad in a way that there hasn't been comparable attention to elderly farmers," said Mary Fleming, a nurse who travels Ohio teaching farm safety. "Maybe grandpa's death should pull at our heart strings too."

Fleming, who grew up on a dairy farm and still farms in Delaware County, fell out of a hay mound and broke her hip when she was a child. As an adult, she lost two close friends in farm accidents.

"It's something that didn't have to happen," she said. "I've seen family members injured, and I've seen family members die in farm accidents."

Farmers can be tough to change, Field said, but they will when they are shown a safer, less painful way to work.

Fleming said they know their jobs are dangerous but often don't know how quickly problems can arise. On occasion, she'll ask farmers if it's worth the risk to allow their sons and daughters to drive a tractor without devices that stop them from rolling over.

"We need to help them see how those things happen and help them rethink their decisions," she said.

Copyright © Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us