Dangers on Farm Increase with Age
The average age of farmers in the United States has reached 58.3 years. That’s according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture. Farming has always been a dangerous occupation and older farmers are at an increased risk.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that farmers over the age of 74 are twice as likely as younger farmers to die in a farming accident. Despite this fact, there are few safety programs targeting older farmers. In fact, most safety awareness programs have to do with keeping children safe on the farm. And federal grant money is much more available to farming programs that promote child safety awareness.
Tractor rollovers are the most frequent cause of fatal accidents in older farmers. In many cases, older farmers use older equipment that doesn’t have rollover protections or safety features available in newer models. Another contributing factor to tractor accidents is that reaction times in older farmers are slower so it is harder for them to manipulate machinery controls.
Many older farmers are more prone to falls, and there is an increased risk of sprains and strains because of decreased strength and flexibility. Older farmers also are less able to climb in and out of machinery because of reduced mobility.
One risk factor that goes largely unnoticed in older farmers, but is a major concern, is depression. Fifteen percent of all people over the age of 65 suffer from depression but that number can be significantly higher in rural areas where people are more isolated. Farmers – especially older ones – can be reluctant to talk about their feelings of sadness or hopelessness but it is important that they do so.
When farmers are depressed, they can lose focus on the dangerous tasks at hand, leading to accidents. When asked, older farmers list tough economic times, the loss of a spouse, family members being uninterested in taking over the farm, and a lack of retirement savings as stress factors that can lead to depression. If depression is left unchecked, the outcome can be deadly.
In order to keep older farmers safe and productive, it is important that farmers and their families recognize the many risk factors they face. It also is important that older farmers are willing to give up some of the more dangerous farming tasks as well as be realistic when it comes to their limitations.
