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Twenty-five fatalities related to farm work or work site hazards occurred in Wisconsin in 2004, compared to 37 fatalities in 2003 and 24 in 2002. Wisconsin has averaged 30 such fatalities per year over the past five years.
The 2004 Wisconsin farm fatality rate (number of fatalities per 100,000 workers) was 35, based on an estimated average of 72,000 workers in production agriculture in Wisconsin in 2004 (including farm operators, unpaid family labor, and hired workers, but excluding service workers hired through agricultural labor contractors). This compares to rates of 48 and 29 for 2003 and 2002, respectively. (Note: Number of workers in 2004 based on linear regression of 1996-2001 totals reported by National Agricultural Statistics Service, which no longer collects such data.)
Fatalities |
2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 25 | 37 |
24 |
| Rate* | 35 | 48 | 29 |
According to the National Safety Council, agriculture is consistently one of
the three most hazardous industries in the U.S. (along with mining and construction),
with an estimated 676 work deaths in 2003 and a fatality rate of 30.0 deaths
per 100,000 workers. This compares with 5575 fatalities for all U.S. industries
combined, with a death rate of 4.0 per 100,000.
Farm-related fatalities are defined as unintentional deaths resulting from
injury or environmental factors involving farm work or hazards of the farm work
site. Fatalities resulting from heart attacks, recreational activities, home-related
activities, or most motor vehicle injuries, are not included in this definition.
Farm tractors were involved in seven (28%) of the 25 fatalities. Other farm machines were also involved in five (20%) fatalities. Animals ( six bulls and one cow) were also involved in seven (28%) fatalities. Falls accounted for three (12%) fatalities. Confined space (silo) accounted for two (8%) fatalities. The remaining one (4%) fatality resulted from a victim being pinned by a crowd gate.
| Fatalities | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tractors | 7 | 10 | 7 |
| Farm Machines | 5 | 12 | 7 |
| Confined Spaces | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Falls | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Animals | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Trucks/Vehicles | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Other | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Total | 25 | 37 | 24 |
Farm tractors were involved in seven farm fatalities in 2004, compared with ten in 2003 and seven in 2002. Tractor rollovers (overturns) accounted for six (86%) of the tractor fatalities. Runovers/falls (being run over by the tractor, and/or falling from it) accounted for one (14%) of the tractor fatalities.
Tractor |
2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|
Rollovers |
6 | 5 | 5 |
Runovers/Falls |
1 | 4 | 0 |
Other |
0 | 1 | 2 |
Total |
7 | 10 | 7 |
Farm machines other than tractors were involved in five fatalities in 2004, compared with 12 in 2003 and seven in 2002. One fatality involved entanglement in a forage wagon. One fatlity involved being run over by a chopper box. The other two fatalities involved overturns-one an ATV and the other a utility vehicle.
Machines |
2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|
Entanglement |
1 | 2 | 2 |
Pinned |
0 | 4 | 2 |
Runovers |
1 | 2 | 2 |
Other |
2 | 4 | 1 |
Total |
4 | 12 | 7 |
For a second year there was an increase in the number of animal-related fatalitites. Six fatalities occurred as a result of the victim being attached by a bull. One victim was pushed by a cow and struck his head on the concrete floor.
In 2004, farm-related fatalities were reported in 19 counties. One county had three fatalities, four counties had two fatalities, 15 counties had one fatality.
| Barron | 1 | Monroe | 3 |
| Clark | 1 | Pepin | 2 |
| Columbia | 2 | Portage | 1 |
| Dodge | 1 | Price | 1 |
| Florence | 1 | Shawano | 1 |
| Fond du Lac | 1 | St. Croix | 1 |
| Green | 1 | Vernon | 1 |
| Kewaunee | 1 | Wood | 1 |
| La Crosse | 2 | Waukesha | 1 |
| Marathon | 2 |
Most fatalities occurred in the second half of the year; the distribution by month of occurrence is given below. (Month of occurrence is when the injury occurred; the victim may have died later.)
| January | 0 | July | 2 |
| February | 0 | August | 2 |
| March | 1 | September | 4 |
| April | 6 | October | 6 |
| May | 1 | November | 1 |
| June | 1 | December | 1 |
Twenty-two of the victims were male and three were female.
Persons age 45-64 accounted for eleven (44%) of the victims. Persons age 65 and older accounted for five (20%) of the victims. Youth under the age of nine accounted for three (12%) of the victims. The following table gives the age distribution using standard National Safety Council age categories, with expanded categories below age 25. (Percentages may not add up due to round-off.)
Age |
Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
0 - 4 |
2 | 8.0% |
5 - 9 |
1 | 4.0% |
10 - 14 |
0 | 0.0% |
15 - 19 |
1 | 4.0% |
| 20 - 24 | 2 | 8.0% |
| 25 - 44 | 3 | 12.0% |
45 - 64 |
11 | 44.0% |
65+ |
5 | 20.0% |
Total |
25 | 100.0% |
Clippings from Wisconsin daily and weekly newspapers; Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Bureau of Health Information death certificate registry; county coroners' and sheriffs' reports; National Agricultural Statistics Service Farm Labor Reports; and National Safety Council Injury Facts, 2005-06.