Agricultural Operations

Michigan is second only to California in terms of diversity of crop production. Michigan produces over 300 different agricultural commodities. Agriculture ranks among the most dangerous industries. Between 2003 and 2011, 5,816 agricultural workers died from work-related injuries in the US.

In 2011, 570 agricultural workers died from work-related injuries. The fatality rate for agricultural workers was 7 times higher than the fatality rate for all workers in private industry; agricultural workers had a fatality rate of 24.9 deaths per 100,000, while the fatality rate for all workers was 3.5.
The leading cause of death for farmworkers between 1992 and 2009 was tractor overturns, accounting for over 90 deaths annually. The most effective way to prevent tractor overturn deaths is the use of Roll-Over Protective Structures; however in 2006 only 59% of tractors used on farms in the US were equipped with these devices.
Every day, about 243 agricultural workers suffer a serious lost-work-time injury. Five percent of these injuries result in permanent impairment.
In 2011, the injury rate for agricultural workers was over 40 percent higher than the rate for all workers. Crop production agricultural workers' injury rates were 5.5 per 100 workers. Animal production agricultural workers' injury rates were 6.7 per 100 workers. The rate for all workers was 3.8.
Young workers who live and work on farms are also exposed to potentially dangerous farm-related hazards. Farm operators who hire youth to work on their farm should be aware of all applicable child labor laws.
Approximately one half of farmworkers are Hispanic. MIOSHA requires that employers conduct all required training of workers in a language and vocabulary workers can understand.

Agricultural operations are covered by several MIOSHA Safety and Health standards. You can view all of the applicable MIOSHA standards, preambles to final rules, directives and standard interpretations for agricultural operations, as well as other MIOSHA standards applicable to Agriculture by navigating to our Agricultural Operations Standards page.

Physicians, hospitals, clinics, and employers are required by law to report known or suspected cases of occupational disease, in all industries, to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). For more information on occupational and environmental reporting, navigate to MSU’s college of Human Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine page.

Note: For all Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data in this Safety and Health Topics Page, "agricultural worker" refers to any worker in the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (GP2AFH) industry. These numbers are the best available representation of workers in the agricultural industry.

CET Publications & Resources	Agriculture Industry Confined Space Hazards Fact Sheet (CET-0188) (pdf)
	MIOSHA Regulations for Agricultural Field (CET-5920) (doc)
	MIOSHA's Young Worker Initiative
	MIOSHA Heat Stress (CET-5964) (doc)
	MIOSHA's Falls Fact Sheet (doc)

OSHA Resources	All-Terrain Vehicle Hazards during Farm Work*. OSHA Fact Sheet (Publication 3758), (2015).
	Backing Up Farm Vehicles and Equipment Safely*. OSHA QuickCard™ (Publication 3733), (2014).
	Agriculture: Protecting Farmworkers from Tractor and Harvester Hazards*. OSHA QuickCard™ (Publication 3706), (2014).
	Protecting Workers from Tripod Orchard Ladder Injuries. OSHA QuickCard™ (Publication 3705), (2014). (Spanish)
	Safe Use of Tripod Orchard Ladders (PDF). OSHA Fact Sheet (Publication 3728), (2014).
	Protecting Workers from Tractor Hazards*. OSHA Fact Sheet (Publication 3835), (2015).
	Heat Illness Prevention Training Guide, A Lesson Plan for Employers*. OSHA Publication 3437, (2011).
	Heat Illness: Stopping for Water Keeps You Going, Community Poster*. OSHA Publication 3435, (2011).
	Cotton Press: Fatal Facts*. OSHA Publication 3679, (2013).
	Farmworker Electrocution: Fatal Facts*. OSHA Publication 3817, (2015).
	Green Tobacco Sickness*. OSHA Publication 3765, (2015).
	Personal Protective Equipment. OSHA Fact Sheet (Publication 3603), (2000). (Spanish \|Portuguese* (2010))
	Combustible Dust Explosions*. OSHA Fact Sheet.
	Dangers of Engulfment and Suffocation in Grain Bins Hazard Alert(PDF)
	Grain Bins: Worker Entry into Grain Storage Bins (PDF). OSHA Fact Sheet. Chemical Grain Fumigant. (January 6, 2015).
	Tree Care Work Hazards (PDF\|EPUB \|MOBI). OSHA Hazard Bulletin (Publication HB-3731, (2014). (Spanish (PDF\|EPUB \|MOBI) Publication HB-3740, (2014)).
	Tree Care Work - Know the Hazards*. OSHA Publication 3752, (December 2014).
	Tree Trimming*. OSHA Fact Sheet.

Other Resources	Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health - Provides resource information about reducing the burden of injury and illness in agriculture (e.g., prevention education materials on ATV safety, pesticide drift, rural roadway safety, and worker protection standard).
	Agricultural Safety & Health Program. Kansas State University – Provides sample guidance documents related to standards of practice, forms, and sample checklists (e.g., heavy/farm equipment pre-use checklist and evaluation guide).
	Agricultural Safety & Health Program. Ohio State University Extension - The OSU Ag Safety and Health Program directs, coordinates, and administers educational programs, demonstrations, and resources to support agriculture and the safety of those working in the industry (e.g., 10-hour course designed for the agricultural workforce, agricultural tailgate safety training on liquid manure, etc.).
	Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station: Farm Safety - Provides various resources to support commercial agriculture resources (e.g., pesticides fact sheets, farm safety fact sheets and bulletins).
	The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAM/NEC). Cooperstown, New York – Provides information related to enhancing agricultural and rural health by preventing and treating occupational injury and illness (e.g., information on avian influenza also known as bird flu).
	North Carolina Agromedicine Institute East Carolina University, NC State University, NC AT&T State University – Mission is to promote the health and safety of farmers, fishermen, foresters, their workers and their families through research, prevention/intervention, and education/outreach.
	Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety University of California at Davis – Mission is to improve the health and safety of agricultural workers in the west through innovative research, interactive trainings, and tailored outreach. They have agriculture health and safety training resources in Spanish as well as English.

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Agricultural Operations