Occupational Injuries on Thoroughbred Horse Farms: A Description of Latino and Non-Latino Workers’ Experiences

Abstract

Animal production is a dangerous industry and increasingly reliant on a Latino workforce. Within animal production, little is known about the risks or the occupational hazards of working on farms involved in various aspects of thoroughbred horse breeding. Extant research suggests that horse workers are at risk of musculoskeletal and respiratory symptoms, kicks, and other injuries. However, limited known research has examined the experiences of the industry’s workers, including immigrant workers, despite their prominence and increased vulnerability. Using data collected from thoroughbred farm representatives via a phone-administered survey, a 2-hour face-to-face semi-structured interview, and farm injury logs, this article identifies and describes types of injuries experienced by workers (N = 284) and their surrounding circumstances. Results indicate that general injuries and musculoskeletal strains, sprains, and tears account for a majority of injuries among workers on thoroughbred farms. Upper limbs and extremities are most frequently injured, while direct contact with the horse accounted for over half of all injuries. No differences in the diagnoses or distribution of injury were found by ethnicity; however, Latinos were more often struck by or trampled by a horse while non-Latinos were more often injured by an insect or plant. Implications and opportunities for future research are discussed.

From the Horse Worker’s Mouth: A Detailed Account of Injuries Experienced by Latino Horse Workers

“…Through an analysis of employer injury logs and interviews with farm representatives, Swanberg et al [13] found a wide range of injury experiences and hazards experienced by thoroughbred workers including musculoskeletal injury, horse kicks, and horse bites. Employer records also revealed that thoroughbred horse workers experienced general injuries; strains, sprains, or tears; and injuries to the upper limbs and extremities [4].…”

“…A sector within animal production about which little is known is horse breeding. This is troubling given the fact that Latino workers are highly prevalent in the horse breeding industry [4,5] and experience fatality rates among the highest of all racial and ethnic groups [1,6].…”

Individual and occupational characteristics associated with respiratory symptoms among latino horse farm workers

“…Over twothirds of the 460,000 full-time workers in the horse industry are either Latino or foreign-born [AHC, 2005]. Echoing these trends, a recent study of thoroughbred farms in the Southeast indicates that half of the year-round farmworker workforce was Latino [Swanberg et al, 2013].…”

“…Swanberg et al [2013] investigated Latino worker injuries on 22 southeastern farms and found that Latino workers may work in closer proximity to horses than nonLatino workers and may be subject to respiratory hazards in the stable environment. Although the link between respiratory illness in horses and humans due to barn exposures has long been known [Gregory and Lacey, 1968;McPherson and Thomson, 1983;Pickrell, 1990], no studies to date have investigated occupational hazards encountered by Latino horse workers and related respiratory symptoms.…”

“…Workers on horse farms are exposed to several occupational hazards, including the horse, with the potential for kicks, bites, and falls [Iba et al, 2001;Douphrate et al, 2009;Langley and Morris, 2009;L€ ofqvist et al, 2009;Clouser et al, 2014]; strenuous labor duties and repetitive motion that could result in musculoskeletal injury [L€ ofqvist et al, 2009;Swanberg et al, 2013]; and dusts containing various respiratory hazards [Curtis et al, 1996;Mackiewitcz et al, 1996;Elfman et al, 2009;Samadi et al, 2009;Cho et al, 2010]. Swanberg et al [2013] investigated Latino worker injuries on 22 southeastern farms and found that Latino workers may work in closer proximity to horses than nonLatino workers and may be subject to respiratory hazards in the stable environment.…”