Evaluation of Self-Reported Agricultural Tasks, Safety Concerns, and Health and Safety Behaviors of Young Adults in U.S. Collegiate Agricultural Programs

Abstract

Young adults enrolled in collegiate agricultural programs are a critical audience for agricultural health and safety training. Understanding the farm tasks that young adults engage in is necessary for tailoring health and safety education. The project analyzed evaluation survey responses from the Gear Up for Ag Health and Safety™ program, including reported agricultural tasks, safety concerns, frequency of discussing health and safety concerns with healthcare providers, safety behaviors, and future career plans. The most common tasks reported included operation of machinery and grain-handling. Most participants intended to work on a family-owned agricultural operation or for an agribusiness/cooperative following graduation. Reported safety behaviors (hearing protection, eye protection, and sunscreen use when performing outdoor tasks) differed by gender and education type. Male community college and university participants reported higher rates of “near-misses” and crashes when operating equipment on the roadway. One-third of participants reported discussing agricultural health and safety issues with their medical provider, while 72% were concerned about the health and safety of their family and co-workers in agriculture. These findings provide guidance for better development of agricultural health and safety programs addressing this population—future trainings should be uniquely tailored, accounting for gender and educational differences.

Some differences but all at risk: Improving farm safety for young people—An Australian experience

“…Whilst males were significantly more likely to be working with large heavy machinery and driving trucks, females were significantly more likely to be working with livestock (including handling large animals) and using horses for stockwork. These task-based results were similar to those reported among young adults enrolled in the U.S. Gear Up for Ag™ program ( 12 ). Horses are the major cause of injury and death from animals in Australia ( 2 , 3 ), and one area where there is significant differences between the genders.…”

“…A post-survey rate of 52% is a pleasing result, given the history of low response rates in other agricultural studies. Typically most survey response rates for academic studies of US farmers are ~20% ( 12 , 35 ) and a recent study in Scandinavia found slightly higher results depending on whether email or post ( 36 ). On the post-survey, all students were given the opportunity to provide feedback in the form of a written, qualitative response.…”

“…The international Gear Up for Ag Health and Safety TM program (Gear Up for Ag TM ) was designed to address a number of the key layers of the SEM framework (21). Developed by the Ag Health and Safety Alliance (AHSA), a non-profit organisation based in the US, Gear Up for Ag TM was developed to train 18-25 year olds in a range of agricultural health and safety topics (12).…”

“…Globally, most agricultural safety training programs and interventions are designed and targeted at younger people, aged 5–12 years ( 12 , 13 ), and include a variety of formats such as the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day, Farm Safety 4 Just Kids or programs that are developed and delivered specifically in place such as the Hesse Farm Safety program ( 13 , 14 ). However, whilst most programs show increases in knowledge, long term evaluations are limited and mostly remain unpublished ( 15 , 16 ).…”

“…The training impacts participants, since most of them report being more aware of agricultural safety and health issues following the program and are very likely to engage in discussions about safety topics with their family members, coworkers, and peers. Up to one third of U.S. participants also state that they purchase additional safety equipment, such as PPE, following the program ( 12 ).…”