MACHINERY-RELATED INJURIES - REGIONAL RURAL INJURY STUDY-I (RRIS-I)

Although it is known that farm machinery is a source of serious and ca tastrophic farm work-related injuries, little is known about the magni tude of, and potential risk factors for, this problem. The study popul ation is from the five-state Regional Rural Injury Study-I(RRIS-I) tha t included 3,939 farm households and 13,144 persons who were interview ed about their injury experience and farming operation-related exposur es during 1990. Rates were calculated for sociodemographic variables a nd various exposures pertinent to large farm machinery (excluding trac tors). Multivariate analyses were conducted using logistic regression, based on a model developed a priori and further confirmed using backw ard stepwise logistic regression. Among the total farming-related inju ry events (n=764), 151 (20%) were related to large machinery use (1,12 7 injured persons per 100,000 persons per year). Through multivariate analyses, several variables were associated with elevated rate ratios that were important in both models: hours worked per week on the farm (40-59, 60-79, 80+); operation of an auger; field crops as the enterpr ise requiring the most time; and male gender. In addition, in the back ward stepwise model, certain marital status categories (married; separ ated/widowed/divorced) were also associated with elevated rate ratios that were important. The majority of injury events occurred while pers ons were lifting, pushing, or pulling (21%), adjusting a machine (20%) , or repairing a machine (17%). While only 5% of the cases were hospit alized, 79% required some type of health care. Among all injured perso ns, 34% were restricted from regular activities for 1 week or more and 19% were restricted for 1 month or more; 25% continued to have persis tent problems. In summary, the RRIS-I permitted one of the most compre hensive studies of agricultural machinery-related injuries, to date. T he findings indicate that these injuries represent a significant probl em, based on the relevant rates, potential risk factors, and consequen ces from trauma. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.