title: Safety and health perceptions and concerns of custom harvesters.
abstract: This study elicited the perceptions and concerns of custom harvesters regarding safety and health issues faced in their operations, self-perceived knowledge of selected regulations, and self-perceived ability to train employees on the safe operation of equipment. The average age of custom harvesters' (CH) employees was 22 to 25 years (47.2%). The most common length of the harvest season was 5 to 6 months (70.9%). The most common responses to length of work day were 9 to 11 hours (34.5%) and 12 to 14 hours (54.5%). In general, CH ranked combine operation experience as most important when hiring employees. The CH felt inexperience was the leading contributor to lost-time incidents. They were most concerned about DOT regulations and Worker's Compensation rules, but also felt they had a good knowledge of those areas.
authors: Department of Agriculture, Illinois State University, Normal 61790-5020, USA. rwsteff@ilstu.edu
authors: R W
authors: RW
authors: Steffen
authors: K W
authors: KW
authors: Frazier
authors: D G
authors: DG
authors: Watson
authors: T V
authors: TV
authors: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D008297:Male; D017751:Safety Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires