Workers' compensation experience of Colorado agriculture workers, 2000-2004.
BACKGROUND
Agriculture is among the most hazardous of occupations. The lack of information regarding agriculture injuries or fatalities has been recognized as an obstacle for effective injury prevention. Workers' compensation claims data for non-fatal injuries among agriculture and agri-business workers in the State of Colorado between the years of 2000 and 2004.


METHODS
Workers' compensation claims are utilized to estimate injury claim incidence rates, determine the distributions of sources, causes, types and body locations of injuries, and estimate the costs of these injuries.


RESULTS
Colorado agriculture and agri-business workers (e.g., cattle dealers, cattle or livestock raisers, dairy farmers) have high rates of injury claims, especially in sectors that involve interaction with animals or livestock. Grain milling operations had a high rate of injury claims among agri-business operations. Injuries related to animals, strains, machinery, and falls or slips were the most frequent among all occupations analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
Understanding the occurrence of injuries among Colorado agriculture and agri-business workers is critical to implementing and evaluating effective intervention programs for specific agriculture-related occupations. The development of safety interventions that address the worker-animal interface, fall protection systems, machinery usage, and overexertion prevention strategies is recommended.
Douphrate
David I
DI
Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colorado 80523-1681, USA.
Rosecrance
John C
JC
Wahl
George
G
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*