Prevalence and Exposure to Ergonomic Risk Factors among Crop Farmers in Nigeria

This study examined the prevalence and exposure to ergonomic risks factors among crop farmers in selected states in Nigeria. We used cross-sectional data to provide this evidence. Data were collected with the aid of a standardized questionnaire administered to farmers. A total of 480 smallholder cassava farmers selected across 24 farming communities in Kogi and Kwara states, Nigeria, were engaged in the study. Descriptive statistics and binary regression were used for analysis. About 96% of the respondents reported shoulder pain, 85% reported lower back pain, 82% reported upper back pain, 64% reported neck pain, and 53% reported elbow pain during farming operations. We found that the age of farmers (OR = 2.01) and daily duration of daily chemical spray (OR = 1.17) were risk factors, while previous training on the safe use and application of farm chemicals was found to be a protective factor (α = 0.05). The study identified affordability of farm safety measures and poor access to relevant safety information as top constraints to farmers’ adoption of safe farm practices. We concluded there is a high prevalence of ergonomic risks during cassava operations among respondents. A crop-specific co-designed ergonomic intervention targeted at Nigerian farmers to reduce exposure to ergonomic risks is recommended.

Child Farm-Related Injury in Australia: A Review of the Literature

Children on farms have been identified as a population vulnerable to injury. This review seeks to identify child farm-related injury rates in Australia and to determine the key hazards and contributing risk factors. This critical review utilised the PRISMA guidelines for database searching. Research from the year 2000 onward was included as well as earlier seminal texts. Reference lists were searched, and the relevant research material was explored. Our primary focus was on Australian peer-reviewed literature with international and grey literature examples included. Evidence suggests that there is limited Australian research focusing on child farm-related injuries. Child representation in farm-related injuries in Australia has remained consistent over time, and the key hazards causing these injuries have remained the same for over 20 years. The factors contributing to child rates of farm injury described in the literature include child development and exposure to dangerous environments, the risk-taking culture, multi-generational farming families, lack of supervision, child labour and lack of regulation, limited targeted farm safety programs, underuse of safe play areas, financial priorities and poor understanding and operationalisation of the hierarchy of control. It is well known that children experience injury on farms, and the key hazards that cause this have been clearly identified. However, the level of exposure to hazards and the typical attitudes, behaviours and actions of children and their parents around the farm that contribute to chid injury remain unexplored.

Broadening Our Understanding of Farm Children’s Risk Exposure by Considering Their Parents’ Farming Background

While farm safety researchers have seldom considered the association between farm parents’ background and their children’s safety, researchers who have compared first- and multi-generation farmers have found differences that may shape safety outcomes. We draw on the farm safety and family farm bodies of literature and a survey of 203 United States farm parents to assess the role of farming background in farm children risk exposure. Exploratory in nature, the bivariate analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between first- and multi-generation farmers in children injury, agricultural safety perceptions, knowledge, and practices but revealed differences in key demographic characteristics and parenting styles. A range of factors likely explain these findings with meso- and macro-level factors likely impacting farm parents’ ability to adopt safety practices. In contrast to the emphasis on knowledge and behaviors, we call for the integration of lived realities in farm safety research and to do so in a way that connects realities and choices to larger contexts. We also call on the need to expand the toolkit of interventions to address meso- and macro-level factors. A shift towards addressing social and economic conditions in agriculture could reduce farm children’s injuries while supporting the sustainability of farm labor systems.

Estimates of Victim Surface Area and Associated Extraction Force for Partial Entrapment in Grain

HighlightsEight selected anthropometric landmarks were useful for estimating victim surface area and entrapment depth.Surface area estimates for a partially entrapped male victim ranged from 0.0716 to 2.7296 m2.Partial extraction force estimates for a male victim ranged from 0.29 to 3,693 N.Partial extraction force estimates were 18% greater on average when including the arm surface area than when not including the arms.Abstract. A prediction model for estimating extraction forces on entrapped victims was enhanced and modernized in 2018 from the original 1985 model. The prediction model was divided into two conditions based on the victim’s relative position to the grain surface. The first condition was when the victim is completely below the grain surface. The second condition was when the victim’s shoulders are above the grain surface; this condition is the focus of this research. A variable in the prediction model that changes with the depth of entrapment is the surface area of the victim. A sample of 60 male models was used to approximate the human surface area at optimal discrete positions selected based on visually identifiable anthropometric landmarks. The surface area estimates for those 60 partially entrapped male models ranged from 0.0716 to 2.7296 m2. Extraction forces for twelve partially entrapped male body types with various combinations of stature and body mass index were calculated. The extraction forces were calculated for conditions when the victim’s arms were raised (above the grain) and lowered (in the grain). Results from the prediction model showed that surface area contributed less to the partial extraction force for short underweight bodies than for tall extremely obese bodies. At the lower landmarks, i.e., medial malleolus (MM) and knee crease (KN), surface area did not contribute noticeably to the partial extraction force. The contribution of surface area was not noticeable until the victim was buried up to the crotch (landmark CR). Keywords: Farm safety, Grain entrapment, Prediction model, Rescue, Safety.

Factors that Influence Farm Safety Decisions of Young Adults when Entering Agricultural Grain Bins

Highlights A grain handling scenario-based survey was administered to college students studying agriculture. Participants chose an action after reading each scenario and ranked factors affecting their decision-making. Most participants chose a “safe” option and claimed to value their personal safety when making decisions. Parental authority and pressure had little influence on participants’ decisions to enter grain bins. Abstract. The approaches that parents take in the supervision of youth who perform hazardous tasks on family farms can affect youth safety outcomes. This research examines the most significant factors affecting youths’ decisions to enter agricultural grain storage facilities. Over 200 students attending a Midwestern land-grant university who had grain bin experience as youth completed a decision-making survey. Students chose from a list of actions in three realistic but hypothetical scenarios involving grain bin entry. Afterward, they ranked factors according to the level of importance in their decision. Although most participants chose options that emphasized safety when answering the scenario questions and held the “personal safety” factor in highest regard, some chose higher-risk options and valued “productivity.” The findings revealed that youth held little value in their parents’ authority and pressure when making decisions related to grain bin entry. The study’s limitations are addressed, as are the implications of these findings for youth safety outcomes on family farms. Keywords: Decision-making, External pressures, Farm youth safety, Grain bin safety.