Farm tractors, and the use of seat belts and roll-over protective structures.
Roll-over protective structures (ROPS) on farm tractors could significantly reduce the rate of fatal occupational injury on farms, but comparatively few tractors have them. Many of the policy discussions have focused on trying to identify the percentage of tractors that do not have ROPS, even though such a focus probably does not accurately represent effective protection by ROPS. This study investigates whether including differences in hours of usage, tractor activities, and seat belt use affects estimates of farm operators' protection by ROPS. In general, tractors used more hours a year were more likely to have ROPS. ROPS status also varied by tractor activity. When adjusting for seat belt use, effective ROPS protection is much less than when considering just ROPS status. Measures of the effective coverage of ROPS and policy responses should reflect these differences in hours, activities, and seat belt use.
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
T W
TW
Kelsey
J J
JJ
May
P L
PL
Jenkins
D000383:Agriculture / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004867:Equipment Design; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011050:Policy Making; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control