Heat-related deaths among crop workers--United States, 1992--2006.
Workers employed in outdoor occupations such as farming are exposed to hot and humid environments that put them at risk for heat-related illness or death. This report describes one such death and summarizes heat-related fatalities among crop production workers in the United States during 1992--2006. During this 15-year period, 423 workers in agricultural and nonagricultural industries were reported to have died from exposure to environmental heat; 68 (16%) of these workers were engaged in crop production or support activities for crop production. The heat-related average annual death rate for these crop workers was 0.39 per 100,000 workers, compared with 0.02 for all U.S. civilian workers. Data aggregated into 5-year periods indicated that heat-related death rates among crop workers might be increasing; however, trend analysis did not indicate a statistically significant increase. Prevention of heat-related deaths among crop workers requires educating employers and workers on the hazards of working in hot environments, including recognition of heat-related illness symptoms, and implementing appropriate heat stress management measures.
D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology