title: Comprehension of safety pictograms affixed to agricultural machinery: A survey of users.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pictograms affixed to agricultural machinery are important tools to reduce the occurrence of accidents and injuries when correctly noticed, comprehended, and followed. This study investigated the knowledge of safety pictograms used in agricultural machinery in a sample of farmers and farm workers and examined the factors influencing their comprehension.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire with 12 safety pictograms used for agricultural machinery was administered to 281 owners or users of agricultural machinery. For each of the pictograms, the participants had to select the most appropriate verbal description from among four choices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pictograms examined yielded poor comprehension scores, including warnings related to the most frequent accidents involving agricultural machinery. Familiarity with the pictograms and years of experience with agricultural machinery significantly increased users' comprehension of the meaning of the pictograms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific training programs should be designed to draw attention to safety pictograms and to instill their meaning.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Earthmoving Machines (IMAMOTER), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Strada delle Cacce, 73, 10135 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caffaro
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Earthmoving Machines (IMAMOTER), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Strada delle Cacce, 73, 10135 Torino, Italy. Electronic address: e.cavallo@imamoter.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavallo
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000383:Agriculture; D032882:Comprehension; D000067565:Farmers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Accident prevention; Agriculture; Pictogram; Safety sign; Warning