Analysis of Factors Contributing to 674 Agricultural Driveline-Related Injuries and Fatalities Documented Between 1970 and 2003

Abstract

Unguarded agricultural power take-off (PTO) drivelines and related components, including secondary drivelines powered by the PTO, have been historically recognized as serious farm-related hazards that can cause severe, permanently disabling injuries and death when entanglement occurs. The lack of longitudinal and causative data on these incidents has been a barrier for developing relevant and effective intervention strategies. A study was conducted at Purdue University to design, develop, and test a system to document, code, store, and analyze a large amount of agriculture driveline-related injury and fatality data to allow for identification of causative factors and trends that could be used in developing engineering, educational, and regulatory solutions. This was accomplished by first developing a standardized injury reporting form and coding system and then developing an electronic database, using Microsoft(R) Access 2002,(R) which could be used to document, store, query, and analyze agricultural driveline-related incident data. Incidents resulting in injury or fatality identified between 1970 and 2003 were documented and the available data coded and entered into the database using a systematic approach. A pilot-test of the usability of the database was conducted on data collected from 92 incidents involving children and adolescents. Using the validated data management system, an analysis was conducted on data collected from 674 cases entered into the database. Findings from the analysis of the data included the following: the frequency of documented agricultural driveline-related incidents increased from the 1970s to the 1980s, but then decreased through the 1990s and into the 2000s; the 11 to 15-year-old age group had the highest frequency of cases; incidents occurred more often in the fall season; and augers, elevators, or conveyors were the type of implements most frequently involved. Recommendations were made to reduce the risk of agriculture driveline injuries and for future research.

Evaluation of Farm Tractor-Related Fatalities

“…28 PTOs are rapidly rotating shafts that transfer power from the tractor attached at one end to a piece of farm machinery at the other end. Clothing or body parts can become entangled, resulting in amputation or avulsion of body parts, strangulation, and massive crushing injuries.…”

Safety and Health Hazard Observations in Hmong Farming Operations

“…Most of the tools already developed for use in the United States have focused on hazards presented by use of pesticides, chemicals, and mechanized equipment such as tractors 30 and power takeoffs. 31 As a result, our observational tool featured a number of items specific to these hazards. Although the observation checklist used was extensive, it was not comprehensive, and did not evaluate, for example, specific chemical agents and pesticides.…”

A Task-Based Analysis of Machinery Entanglement Injuries Among Western Canadian Farmers

“…27 The driveline assembly is typically used to transfer power to various components on agricultural equipment from a centralized source. 28 When designed according to American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) design standards, 29 driveline assemblies on agricultural machines are shielded from unintentional human contact. The absence of banks of grease zerks or other factory designed systems for routine servicing requires at least partial exposure to the driveline to facilitate access.…”