Scalping incidents involving hay balers--New York.
In August 1991, the Agricultural Health Nurse Program (AHNP) of New York received a report of a woman who was scalped (i.e., traumatic avulsing of the scalp) when her hair became entangled in a hay baler. Subsequent investigations by the AHNP identified three similar incidents. One was identified through a rehabilitation service and one by a machinery dealer; one of these women identified the third person. In all four cases, the injuries resulted from entanglements with rotating secondary drivelines, shielded from above by three-sided guards, on hay-baling equipment. This report summarizes the four incidents and discusses strategies for prevention of similar incidents related to operation of farm machinery.
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004423:Ear / Q000293:injuries; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012535:Scalp / Q000293:injuries*