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NOTE: This document is provided for historical purposes only.
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Background Livestock-handling injuries are among the most severe of agriculture injuries. This study identifies the costs, consequences and contributing factors associated with livestock-handling injuries among Colorado dairy farmers, cattle/livestock raisers, and cattle dealers. Methods A ten-year (1997-2006) claim history was used for analysis. Descriptive analyses of livestock-handling injury claims were conducted. Claim cost analysis was also conducted. The agent-host-environment epidemiological model was used to analyze injury event descriptions. Results A total of 1,114 livestock-handling claims were analyzed. Milking parlor tasks represented nearly 50% of injuries among dairy workers. Riding horseback, sorting/penning cattle and livestock-handling equipment represented higher proportions of livestock-handling injuries among cattle/livestock raisers and cattle dealers. Conclusions Livestock-handling injuries are a significant problem, more costly, and result in more time off work than other causes of agricultural injuries. Worker education involving livestock-handling and proper facility design are two injury prevention strategies that may lead to a reduction of livestock-handling injuries.
Because of the increasing mechanization of farms over the past half century, and the high fatality rate associated with injuries due to farm machinery and tractors [Bernhart and Langley, 1999, Carlson et al., 2005, Cole et al., 2006, Lee et al., 1996], many studies of farm injuries have focused on injuries related to interactions with machinery or tractors. Animal-related injuries are also an important occupational hazard in farming. Studies have demonstrated that nonfatal injury rates are elevated on farms with animals, especially on beef and diary farms [Brison and Pickett, 1992, Nordstrom et al., 1995, Pratt et al., 1992, Zhou and Roseman, 1994]. Researchers have reported large proportions of injuries on the farm are caused by animals [Brison and Pickett, 1992, Gerberich et al., 1998, Layde et al., 1995, Lewis et al., 1998, Nordstrom et al., 1995, Pickett et al., 1995, Pratt et al., 1992, Sprince et al., 2003, Zhou and Roseman, 1994] and livestock-related injuries account for the highest rate of lost work days [Thu et al., 1997].
Researchers have described the difficulties in quantifying the magnitude of farm-work injuries specifically associated with livestock-handling [Ehlers et al., 1993, May, 1990]. Few studies have addressed specifically animal-related injuries on farms [Boyle et al., 1997, Hendricks and Adekoya, 2001, Sprince et al., 2003, VonEssen and Donham, 1999]. Because of the limited research specifically addressing farm-work injuries associated with livestock-handling, little is known of the injury risk factors that might lead to the development of safety interventions [Layde et al., 1996].
A previous study analyzing workers’ compensation injury claims of Colorado
agriculture workers reported high claim rates among dairy farm workers, cattle/livestock
raisers and cattle dealers [Douphrate et al., 2006]. Injuries livestock-handling
represented a high percentage of injury causes in these sectors. This study
specifically investigated livestock-handling injuries among agriculture workers.
The objectives of this study were to analyze workers’ compensation data
to determine the costs, consequences and contributing factors associated with
livestock-handling injuries.
Workers’ compensation injury claims data from Colorado were used to analyze livestock-handling injuries. Descriptive analyses of the costs (medical and indemnity) and consequences (injury type, cause, and body location) of injuries were conducted. The epidemiological agent-host-environment model was used to analyze injury event descriptions to identify the contributing factors of these injuries.
A total of 4,421 injury claims, representing 8,493 separate 12-month policies (from 1997 to 2006) were included in this study. The number of injury claims analyzed included 988 from dairy farms, 2,168 from cattle/livestock raisers, and 1,265 from cattle dealers. A total of 1,114 livestock-handling injury claims were identified (307 dairy farms; 471 cattle/livestock raisers; 336 cattle dealers). Injury (all injuries) claim rates (injury claims per 100 workers) were highest for cattle dealers (10.3), followed by dairy farms (9.39) and cattle/livestock raisers (8.4).
Livestock was responsible for the highest percentage of injury claims among all occupations. Among dairy farms, 31.1% were caused by livestock. Livestock was responsible for 21.7 % and 27% of claims among cattle/livestock raisers and cattle dealers respectively. Contusions represented the highest percentage of injury types among all three sectors, and injuries to the wrist, hand, and fingers represented the highest percentage of injured body parts in all sectors. Among all injury causes that were classified as high cost (=$5,000), livestock-handling injuries represented the highest proportion in all three sectors. Livestock-handling injuries also represented the highest percentage of high severity injury claims (=28 days of paid disability) in all three sectors.
Among dairy farms, 48% indicated the worker was performing a milking activity
at the time of injury. More specifically, 21% involved the worker being kicked
while performing a milking task and 10% involved the worker attaching a milking
unit to a cow’s udder when he/she was kicked. In addition, 8% of claims
indicated the worker was stepped on when performing a milking task. Among cattle/livestock
raisers, approximately 38% of injuries involved horseback riding. More specifically,
6.4% of claims indicated that the worker was sorting cattle while on horseback.
Nearly 20% of descriptions indicated the worker was injured when he/she was
bucked or thrown off a horse, and nearly 15% of descriptions mentioned the worker
was injured when the horse they were riding fell. Among all job tasks, branding,
ear tagging, horse training, calf birthing, hoof trimming, and vaccinating were
more frequently mentioned. Among cattle dealers, Approximately 27% of narrative
descriptions mentioned that the worker was riding a horse at the time of injury.
More specifically, 29% of claims indicated the worker was sorting/penning cattle
while on horseback. Nearly 12% of descriptions indicated the worker was injured
when he/she was bucked or thrown off a horse. Various other work tasks were
identified at the time of injury. Pushing cattle while standing, vaccinating,
loading cattle into a trailer, processing cattle, birthing, and trimming hooves
were among the more frequently mentioned job tasks.
Despite the differences in study design and data analyzed, this analysis supports and complements previous studies specific to agricultural injury as it relates to livestock-handling. Our study found livestock-handling work injuries are a significant problem, more costly, and result in more time off work than other agriculture injury causes. This study demonstrates that workers’ compensation data can be used successfully to elucidate injury characteristics that may direct future injury prevention strategies.
Injury prevention efforts should be directed at livestock-hander education
and livestock-handling facility design. Future research should investigate the
effectiveness of new livestock-handling injury prevention strategies.
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