Farm Accidents

AUTHOR ABSTRACT

(PRESENTATION SUMMARY)
Mr. Lubinus first presented a very interesting and provocative group of statistics regarding farm accidents in the United States and more specifically in South Dakota. Included were data supporting the fact that agriculture is the third most hazardous industry in the U. S., that there were 14,000 rural accidental deaths in the U. S. during 1954 and that of these 3,800 occurred in the course of an occupational procedure. In South Dakota 86 farm residents were killed in farm accidents in 1953. 59% of these accidental deaths involved farm machines, 25% falls, and 16% livestock. Mr. Lubinus stressed the importance of the 3 E's of safety, Engineering, Education and Enforcement. Engineering has done a good job in the case of farm machinery and can only go as far without interfering with efficiency, enforcement has little place in farm safety, and so most of the efforts need be continually directed toward education. He also stated that the greatest tragedy of farm accidents is that the family status is nearly always charged unnecessarily as most farm accidents are avoidable. Dr. Lubinus very dramatically illustrated rural accident problems involving human reaction time, gasoline hazards, and tractor hazards by the use of stage demonstrations.

Next, Mr. Peterson discussed some of the hazards and problems attending the recent widespread and extensive use of electricity in agricultural operations. He also effectively illustrated the problems through demonstrations and slides and emphasized the fact that many of properties of electricity are not adequately understood by rural people who are applying its use. S D J Med. 1956; 9: 245-251.

JOURNAL:

Note: South Dakota Journal of Medicine.

NLOM ID#: No ID #.