Occupational Research Agenda for Northwest Farming


RESEARCH TOOLS & APPROACHES



THE FINAL CATEGORY INCLUDES FOUR SUBTOPICS that address how occupational health and safety research can have a positive impact on farming. New production techniques require novel methods for controlling exposure to physical and chemical agents, and for reducing risk of injuries. The ability to provide accurate and timely diagnosis plays an important role in the prevention of agricultural-related occupational illnesses, and can help properly classify disease as work-related. Evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of interventions can provide valuable information for those working in and serving the farming community. Finally, surveillance programs are a cornerstone of public health practice in areas such as infectious disease control, but have yet to be established systematically for diseases related to agriculture. Basic demographic, incidence, and prevalence data are needed to inform research and intervention programs. Creative effort will be needed to make such programs successful and cost-effective for Northwest farming.

HAZARD CONTROL TECHNOLOGY



A variety of engineering, administrative, and worker protection techniques can be used to manage health and safety hazards. These may include design changes to equipment, modifications to training efforts, or the design and proper use of personal protective equipment. Important concerns in Northwest farming include tractor rollover protection, mitigation of pesticide drift and applicator exposure, chemical product substitution, and improved techniques for livestock management. Basic and applied research is needed to identify, evaluate, and develop both health-effective and cost-effective control strategies for specific hazards, and to assure their wide dissemination in the farming community.

[NIOSH NORA: Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment

IMPORTANCE

Workplace health and safety hazards are normally mitigated by a hierarchy of control techniques, with engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protection employed where appropriate. Engineering controls offer an opportunity to design a hazard out of the production process. The replacement of a hazardous insecticide with a less hazardous product, for example, can reduce risk for many workers across an entire industry. Technologies that reduce equipment noise or minimize human contact with hazardous chemicals can have an immediate impact on illness rates. Guard devices on equipment can prevent injuries and save lives. Administrative controls focus on proper management of the workplace. For instance, some Farm Summit participants felt that emphasis on wage-based labor rather than piecework could prevent many serious injuries. Finally, personal protective equipment, and training in its proper maintenance and use, is often the last resort for reducing hazardous exposures. The use of chemical protective gloves during pesticide handling is known to be an effective means of reducing skin exposure, but care must be taken to ensure that the glove material is chemical-resistant and that the gloves do not interfere with efficient work practices.

Opportunities for research cited at the Farm Summit and during telephone interviews included personal protective equipment, bioengineering, machinery design, livestock management, and labor activities. Several Farm Summit participants noted the high number of accidents due to machinery, particularly with respect to tractor rollovers. The need for improved machinery design, proper maintenance, and safe use of machinery and equipment was emphasized during discussions. Recommended solutions included installing rollover protection (ROPs) devices, collaborating with manufacturers to develop innovative designs, developing feedback loops to manufacturers, and improving readability of warning stickers.

Participants also noted the importance of new training methods. Specific topics included financial management for farmers, stress management, consistent safety materials, hazard recognition, translation of rules and requirements into action, proper ways to handle accident victims, and a safety and health resource catalog for the Northwest.

A public agency official suggested a new form of training for medical professionals. He recommended using telemedicine for one-on-one consultations with rural physicians. New computer technologies could provide valuable tools for rural medical practice and increased occupational health and safety training of primary care providers.

A private health and safety consultant also suggested standardized training for farm workers and managers. He said that uniform training, similar to other industries, should be available. This training should focus on good practices and bring information to those working in the agricultural field. He noted that basic safety training that could apply to various jobs would be a useful foundation. Employers would know that workers had some fundamental health and safety training. Another training recommendation was to bring the information directly to workers in the field. One example was employing a school bus equipped with audiovisual aids and encouraging hands-on instruction.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

  • Use computer simulations to design safer agricultural machinery
  • Develop design standards
  • Assess existing solutions
  • Identify methods that encourage adoption of existing agricultural safety solutions by industry
  • Document hazards specific to commodity groups
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Duncan JR, Wilkinson RH, Purschwitz MA, Murphy DJ, Anterson KC, Baker LD. Agricultural Safety and Health for Engineers. St. Joseph: American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1994.

Liu J, Ayers P. Application of tractor stability index for protective structure development. J of Ag Safety and Health 1:171– 181 (1998).

American Society of Agriculture Engineers homepage: http://asabe.org/

A Guide to Agricultural Tractor Rollover Protective Structures: http://www.marshfieldclinic.org/nfmc/default.aspx?page=nfmc_rops_guide

DIAGNOSTIC APPROACHES



Accurate and timely diagnosis of work-related illness and injury is essential for proper treatment. Many diseases can be caused by a combination of workplace exposures, nonworkplace exposures, and preexisting conditions. Research is needed to develop new methods of diagnosis, and to link diagnoses with specific workplace exposures. Rural health care professionals need further training in this area, particularly in the identification and treatment of dermatitis, heat stress, and pesticide exposure.

[NIOSH NORA: Not included in the NIOSH NORA document]

IMPORTANCE

Proper diagnosis of work-related illness and injury in agriculture can be difficult for the clinician. Many patients present with nonspecific symptoms, such that a specific cause is difficult to pinpoint. A disease may be the result of preexisting conditions and of recent exposure. Workers who have recently arrived to the Northwest may not have medical records for the clinician to review. And it is often not possible for a diagnosis to be informed by a detailed understanding of work processes and workplace conditions. All of these factors make accurate diagnosis extremely challenging. Many Farm Summit and telephone interview participants recommended further advancement in diagnostic approaches in the field of agricultural health and safety and the need for new methods to identify agricultural-related occupational illnesses. Health care providers also need to be better informed and motivated to learn diagnostic methods specific to agricultural work.

Specific areas for improved diagnostic approaches were identified as heat stress, pesticide exposure, and dermatitis.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
  • Improve the means for identifying agricultural-related disease and injury for the Northwest medical community
  • Provide cross-cultural training to health care professionals performing diagnoses

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Schuman SH, Simpson WM. Ag-Med: The Rural Practitioner's Guide to Agromedicine. American Academy of Family Physicians, 1997.

US EPA. Pesticides and National Strategies for Health Care Providers: Workshop Proceedings. Washington DC: Environmental Protection Agency, 1998.

INTERVENTION EFFECTIVENESS



Various health and safety interventions can prevent workplace illnesses and injury. These methods can include control technologies, guidelines and regulations, worker participation programs, and training. Interventions in current use could be improved by research evaluating their effectiveness. Such interventions include government regulations, enforcement procedures, improved chemicals, and educational programs for children.

[NIOSH NORA: Intervention Effectiveness Research]

IMPORTANCE

Changes are often introduced into agricultural production with the intent of preventing or reducing illness and injury. Yet in many cases, the effectiveness of these changes remains unknown. Evaluation of interventions is a relatively new area of research in occupational health and safety. Such investigations can be expensive, and may seem unnecessary, particularly in cases where the intervention is relatively straightforward. In many other cases, however, there may be several intervention options, and their relative impact is an open question. Intervention effectiveness prompted much discussion among Farm Summit and telephone interview participants. Topics included a range of issues that could be subject to evaluation.

Participants frequently questioned the effectiveness of enforcement agencies. Suggested areas for change included:

  • Improve communication between agencies.
  • Make regulations more relevant.
  • Provide better training to inspectors and agents that would address differences in languages and cultures.
  • Include technical assistance and training to induce compliance, and use punitive measures, e.g., public list, if compliance is not met.
  • Write rules in an understandable format.
Participants also suggested improved health and safety training methods for various audiences, including farmers, physicians, legislators, farm workers, and child laborers.

Farm Summit attendees and telephone interview participants recommended assessing the effectiveness of agricultural equipment and techniques. An extension agent said that personal protective equipment and respirators are not comfortable to wear during the summer months. He suggested a project to improve the comfort and ease of personal protective equipment and measure the subsequent change in workers’ use of these devices.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
  • Improve enforcement processes
  • Measure the effectiveness of voluntary protection programs
  • Review and identify factors affecting enforcement effectiveness, e.g., agency resources, politics, bilingual/cultural investigators
  • Evaluate safety and health information dissemination
  • Assess the validity of cholinesterase field measurements kits
  • Investigate the impact of safety interventions
  • Evaluate personal protective equipment
  • Explore the effectiveness of safety equipment
  • Evaluate Farm Safety Day Camps
  • Evaluate the ability of material safety data sheets to convey information to agricultural workers
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

McDonald MC, McDivitt JA. Evaluation challenges in agricultural health and safety centers. J of Ag Safety and Hlth 1:139–147 (1998).

Tinker TL, Silberberg PG. An evaluation primer on health risk communication programs and outcomes. Washington DC: Department of Health and Human Services, 1997.

Miller M, Keifer M. Cholinesterase Monitoring in Washington State: Report from the Technical Advisory Group, 1995.

Scharf T, Kidd P, Cole H, Bean T, Chapman L, Donham K, Baker D. Intervention tools for farmers—safe and productive work practices in a safer work environment. J of Ag Safety and Health 1:193–203 (1998).

SURVEILLANCE RESEARCH METHODS



Surveillance systems are an important foundation for setting research priorities as they find answers to the questions, “who, what, why, where, and how.” The public health community relies on surveillance information to set research and prevention priorities, but gaps in many existing systems limit their usefulness. Surveillance systems in farming need to be updated and expanded, and new methodologies for data collection and evaluation need to be developed.

[NIOSH NORA: Surveillance Research Methods]

IMPORTANCE

Public health surveillance is central to the process of disease prevention. Modern disease prevention and health promotion programs are based on meaningful data systems. Repeated surveys using common definitions of illness or injury can lead to an understanding of trends in communities or worker groups. Data from such a surveillance system can be used to identify unusual patterns of disease, or can serve to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Few surveillance systems exist for illness and injury related to agricultural production. New methods are need to address the unique characteristics of rural populations and agricultural workers.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
  • Develop a number of different database systems. Examples included a database tracking the use of chemicals used in agriculture and prevalence of occupational skin disease
  • Identify the location and trends of injuries and fatalities
  • Study health and safety attitudes prevalent in farming communities
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Purschwitz MA. Epidemiology of agricultural injuries and illnesses. In: Safety and Health in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. (Langley RL, McLymore RL , Meggs WJ, Roberson GT, eds). Rockville, MD: Government Institutes, 1997.

Halperin W, Baker EL, eds. Public Health Surveillance. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992.

Murphy DJ, Yoder, AM. Census of fatal occupational injury in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry. J of Ag Safety and Health 1:55–66 (1998).

Vallarejo D. Occupational injury rates among hired farmworkers. J of Ag Safety and Health 1:39–46 (1998).

ENDNOTES

1 Agriculture, forestry, and fishing employment in Washington State. Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Employment Security, 1991.

2 Idaho Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries: 1997. [Cited 28 June 1999].

3 Research and Analysis Section, Department of Consumer and Business Services. Oregon Workers’ Compensation Claims Characteristics CY 1997 (1997). Available: http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/imd/rasums/2055/2055.html [Cited 28 June 1999].

4 Roggenburg L: Characteristics of work injuries and illnesses for 1997: agriculture, forestry and fishing. Salem, OR: Oregon State Department of Consumer and Business Services, 1999.

5 Census of fatal and occupational injuries, Oregon, 1997. Salem, OR: Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 1999.

6 Wahlers R. Agricultural workforce in Washington state 1997. Olympia, WA: Washington State Employment Security, 1998.

7 Heyer N, Franklin G, Rivara FP, Parker P, Haug JA. Occupational injuries among minors doing farm work in Washington State: 1986–1989. Am J Public Health 82:557-560 (1992).

8 Matter A: Oregon industrial report on 1986–1995 compensable claims and fatalities for workers aged 17 and under. Salem, OR: Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 1998.

9 Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (1999).

10 Roggenburg L (1999).

11 Oregon Workers’ Compensation Claim Characteristics, Calendar Year 1996. Salem, OR: Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 1998.

12 Roberts C, Mayer JD, Henderson WR Jr. Asthma deaths in Washington State 1980–1989: geographic and demographic distributions [see comments]. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 76:20–6 (1996).

13 Ertle AR, London MR. Insights into asthma prevalence in Oregon. J of Asthma 35: 281–289 (1998).

14 Sama S, Bushley A, Cohen M, Cotey M, Park B, Kaufman J. Work-related skin disorders in Washington State, 1993–1997. Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 1998.

15 Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (1998).

16 Karsky T. Ag Safety and Health Statistics. Available: http://www.uidaho.edu/bae/agsafety/ stats.htm [Cited 29 June 1999].

17 Heyer N (1992).

18 Matter A. Oregon Industrial Report on 1986–1995 Compensable Claims and Fatalities for Workers Ages 17 and Under. Salem, OR: Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 1998.

19 Bugarin A, Lopez E. Farmworkers in California. Sacramento, CA: California State Legislature, California Research Bureau, 1998.

APPENDIX 1

PLANNING COMMITTEE

Richard Fenske
Director
Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
Dept. of Environmental Health
University of Washington


Matthew Keifer
Co-Director
Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
Dept. of Environmental Health
University of Washington


Sharon Morris
Associate Director
Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
Dept. of Environmental Health
University of Washington


Adrienne Hidy
Program Manager
Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
Dept. of Environmental Health
University of Washington


Marcy Harrington
Program Coordinator
Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
Dept. of Environmental Health
University of Washington


Norman Herdrich
Outreach Coordinator
Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
Dept. of Environmental Health
University of Washington


Amy Hagopian
Associate Director
Programs for Healthy Communities
School of Medicine
University of Washington


Appendix 2

PHONE INTERVIEW PARTICI PANTS*

Larry Albin
Washington State Director
US Department of Agriculture
Dyvon Havens
President
Western Washington Horticultural Association
Pedro Serrano
Safety and Health Specialist
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Policy and Technical Services
Susan Aldrich-Markham
Extension Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service
Michael Heumann
Epidemiologist
Oregon Health Division, Environmental, Occupational and Injury Epidemiology
Myron Shenk
Assistant Professor
Interim Farm Safety Specialist
Oregon State University Integrated Plant Protection Center
Bob Arrington
Assistant Director Pesticide Management Division
Washington State Dept. of Agriculture
Dennis Hoffman
Safety and Health Consultant
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
Timothy Smith
Extension Agent
Washington State University Extension Service
James Baker
Environmental Toxicologist
Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture
Clint Jacks
Extension Staff Chair
Oregon State University Extension Service
Tim Stock
Farmworker
Education Specialist
Washington State Department of Agriculture Pesticide Management Division
Lyden Baum
Manager
Pesticide and Surveillance Section
Washington State Department of Health
Jeffrey Jenkins
Associate Professor
Agricultural Chemistry Extension Department of Environmental & Molecular Toxicology Oregon State University
Frances Storrs
Professor of Dermatology
Emerita Oregon Health Sciences University
Varon Blackburn
Vice President
AgriNorthwest
Jeff Johnson
Research Director
Washington State Labor Council
William Symons
Associate Professor
Extension Safety Specialist
Washington State University Extension Service Department of Biological Systems Engineering
Michael Bondi
Extension Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service
Tom Karsky
Extension Safety Specialist
University of Idaho
Mike Taylor
Washington State Migrant Health Supervisor
Title I Educational Service District
Evelyn Brookhyser
Extension Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service
Alice Larson
Coordinator
Workgroup on Pesticide Health and Safety Larson Assistance Services, Washington
Sherman Takatori
Pesticide Training Specialist
Idaho Department of Agriculture
Gus Bryngelson
Farmer and Board Member
Magic Valley SAFE KIDS Coalition, Idaho
Fred Lundin
Extension Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service
Tumac Machinery
Washington
Chip Bubl
Extension Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service
Bill Mason
Public Health Advisor
Washington State Department of Health Environmental Health & Safety, Pesticide Section
Luis Urias
Agricultural Program Specialist
Idaho State Department of Agriculture
Jay Carr
Extension Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service
Blossom Mathews
Director
Magic Valley SAFE KIDS Coalition, Idaho
Sheldon Wagner
Professor of Clinical Toxicology
Oregon State University National Pesticide Telecommunication Network
Tina Castanares
Medical Director
La Clinica del Carino, Oregon

Tom McCoy
Chair
Safety Committee Oregon Wheat Growers League

Kent Waliser
Operations Manager
Wells & Wade Fruit Company/Dole Northwest, Washington
Burton Chestnut
Safety Director
Washington State Farm Bureau
Joe McDonald
Agronomy Division Manager
Pendleton Grain Growers
Marty Weis
Industrial Hygiene Compliance Supervisor
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
Hartzell Cobbs
Executive Director
Idaho Rural Health Education Center Mountain States Group
John McFadden
Safety and Health Consultation Supervisor
Washington State Dept. of Labor & Industries
Kevin Whitehall
Assistant Manager
Central Washington Grain Growers, Inc.
John Cornell
Owner
Farm Safety Services, Washington
Gary Melchior
Field Development Representative
Gowan Company, Washington
Ann Wick
Program Manager
Washington State Department of Agriculture
Michael Craigen
General Manager
Farmer-Stockman Insurance Service
Mary Miller
Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner
Washington State Dept. of Labor & Industries, Policy and Technical Services
James Willis
Director, Articulation & School Partnerships Director,
Distance Learning Walla Walla Community College Washington
Elaine Cullen
Chief, Extramural Coordination/ Communication
Spokane Research Laboratory National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Lorinda Moholt
Director of Communications
Oregon Dairy Products Commission
Christy Witzke
Loss Control Consultant
SAIF Corporation, Oregon
Charlie de La Chapelle, Jr
Farmer
7C Orchards, Washington
Brenden Monahan
Attorney
Velaconge, Moore, and Shore
Vickie Ybarra
Director
Community Health Services Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, Washington
Greg Doering
Former President
Interstate Professional Applicators Association, Oregon
Barbara Morrissey
Toxicologist
Pesticide Section
Washington State Department of Health Office of Toxic Substances
Lorna Youngs
Assistant Director
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Lewis Eilers
Idaho Dairymen’s Association
Verena Neal
President
Washington Chapter of the Interstate Professional Applicators Association
 
Tim Ennis
Public Information Officer
Oregon State University Office of Rural Health
Jeff Olsen
Extension Horticulturalist
Oregon State University Extension Service
 
Allan Felsot
Professor and Extension Specialist
Washington State University Food & Environmental Quality Laboratory
Sean Phelan
Attorney
Columbia Legal Services, Washington
 
Dennis Fiess
Executive Director
Ag Bureau, Spokane Chamber of Commerce
Patrick Pleas
Attorney
Northwest Justice Project, Washington
 
Daniel Ford
Advocacy Coordinator
Columbia Legal Services, Washington
Fred Rios
Bureau Chief
Field Operations Division of Agricultural Resources Idaho State Department of Agriculture
 
Bob Goyt
Owner
Lake Orchards, Inc., Washington
David Rountry
Pesticide Risk Reduction Specialist
Washington State Department of Ecology
 
Ginny Hamilton
Industrial Hygienist
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries WISHA Training & Outreach Services
Marilyn Schuster
Manager
Standards and Technical Resources Oregon OSHA
 
Mike Harker
Manager
Washington/Oregon Asparagus Growers Association
Tomas Schwabe
Trainer
Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration
 


APPENDIX 3

FARM SUMMIT ATTENDEES*

Bob Arrington
Assistant Director
Pesticide Management Division
Washington State Department of Agriculture
Dyvon Havens
President
Western Washington Horticultural Association
David Rountry
Pesticide Risk Reduction Specialist
Washington State Department of Ecology
Margot Barnett
Strategic Options Consulting, Oregon
Michael Heumann
Epidemiologist
Oregon Health Division, Environmental, Occupational and Injury Epidemiology
Tomas Schwabe
Trainer
Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Gus Bryngelson
Farmer and Board Member
Magic Valley SAFE KIDS Coalition, Idaho
Tom Karsky
Extension Safety Specialist
University of Idaho
Myron Shenk
Assistant Professor
Interim Farm Safety Specialist
Oregon State University Integrated Plant Protection Center
Maggie Bryngelson
Farmer and Board Member
Magic Valley SAFE KIDS Coalition, Idaho
Alice Larson
Coordinator
Workgroup on Pesticide Health and Safety Larson Assistance Services, Washington
Pedro Serrano
Safety and Health Specialist
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries Policy and Technical Services
Burton Chestnut
Safety Director
Washington State Farm Bureau
Blossom Mathews
Director
Magic Valley SAFE KIDS Coalition, Idaho
Tom Sjostrom
Safety Engineer
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP)
John Cornell
Owner
Farm Safety Services, Washington
Linda McCauley
Associate Professor
Oregon Health Sciences University Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology
CJ Tyler-Watson
Outreach Coordinator
Center for Farm Health and Safety/PNASH Eastern Washington University
Pamela Elkind
Professor of Sociology and Director
Center for Farm Health and Safety/PNASH Eastern Washington University
Joe McDonald
Agronomy Division Manager
Pendleton Grain Growers
Sheldon Wagner
Professor of Clinical Toxicology
Oregon State University National Pesticide Telecommunication Network
Daniel Ford
Advocacy Coordinator
Columbia Legal Services, Washington
Steven Neufeld
Research Coordinator
Center for Farm Health and Safety/PNASH Eastern Washington University
 
Ginny Hamilton
Industrial Hygienist
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, WISHA Training & Outreach Services
Patrick Pleas
Attorney
Northwest Justice Project, Washington
 


PHOTO CREDITS

Harley Soltes, The Seattle Times

Earl Dotter

Richard Fenske, UW PNASH Center

Norman Herdrich, UW PNASH Center

Harley Soltes, The Seattle Times

Dean Rutz, The Seattle Times

Norman Herdrich, UW PNASH Center

Richard Fenske, UW PNASH Center

Nancy Simcox, UW Field Research & Consultation Group

Gloria Coronado, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Earl Dotter

Matthew Keifer, UW PNASH Center

Richard Fenske, UW PNASH Center

Matthew Keifer, UW PNASH Center

Nancy Simcox, UW Field Research & Consultation Group

Adrienne Hidy, UW PNASH Center


Disclaimer and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More

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