Tractor overturns are leading cause of worker deaths on farms in U.S.

January 6, 2009
6:47 am

Justice Seeker

Heather L. Ryan, R.N., C.L.N.C- Heather Ryan is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant with 15 years of experience in the health care industry. Her expertise in reviewing medical records and assisting lawyers with the determination as to whether legal action should be taken provides an invaluable asset to the newsroom. Medical-malpractice, products liability, personal injury and workers’ compensation are some of the recent areas of litigation Ms. Ryan has focused her efforts on. A member of the Florida Justice Association, Heather maintains a long list of certifications and credentials to support her areas of expertise and stays up-to-date with her clinical knowledge working as an emergency room/trauma nurse, at a Level 1, Adult/Pediatric trauma and teaching institution in South Florida.

Tractor overturns are leading cause of worker deaths on farms in U.S.

Tractor overturns cause the most worker deaths in farming in the United States. Less than 60% of farm tractors use roll-over protective structures.January 5, 2008, West Palm Beach, FL (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–Justice farming injury reporters and Palm Beach County tractor lawyers alert a recent study posted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the CDC, www.cdc.gov/niosh . The NIOSH says 1,412 workers on farms died from tractor overturns between the years 1992-2005. Tractor overturns are the leading cause of occupational agricultural deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a department of the federal government. The Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS) was developed to protect tractor operators from death and disability from tractor overturn events. By providing a protective zone for the operator during a tractor overturn the resulting injuries and deaths have proven to be significantly less. ROPS are most effective when used in conjunction with a seatbelt, which keeps the tractor operator inside the protective zone during an overturn.Justice tractor safety reporters and South Florida tractor attorneys say the effectiveness of ROPS has been well documented. The NIOSH estimates worker death rates could be reduced by a minimum of 71% if all tractors in the U.S were equipped with ROPS. In 1976, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) required all agricultural employers to equip all employee-operated tractors, manufactured after October 25, 1976, with ROPS and safety belts. This standard, supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture www.doa.gov is still in effect today. Unfortunately, the 1976 law does not apply to family members (family-only farms) and has not been enforced on farms with less than 11 full-time employees. These restrictions mean only about 8% of all farms in the U.S. are covered by this standard.JNF farming injury news and West Palm Beach farmer injury lawyers urge all farmers and workers to use tractors equipped with ROPS. Tractor overturns cause serious injuries and deaths. If you have been injured at work of by a tractor overturn you may be entitled to compensation for your damages and injuries.Media Contact: JNF