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NIOSH Programs > Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing > Program Description
Agriculture, Forestry and FishingProgram Description
The Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AgFF) sector has the highest fatality rate of any industry. The task of reducing work-related injury, illness, and death continues to demand focused, collaborative research by NIOSH and its diverse sector partners. That is why the AgFF Program is one of ten sectors included in the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), a national partnership effort begun in 1996 by NIOSH and a wide variety of partners to establish a common research vision for the nation. Read more about AgFF program’s role in NORA.
Source: BLS, CFOI,
Source: BLS, CFOI,
Given the magnitude of the occupational safety and health issues in the AgFF sector, NIOSH, its grantees, and other partners have worked toward prioritizing the needs of this population and allowed those priorities to guide current and future research directions. Currently, NIOSH and its grantees in the AgFF sector are working in areas such as pesticide exposure, agricultural surveillance, “smart clothing for loggers and forest workers, and improving fishing vessel stability, all of which are considered high priority areas for this particular sector. Read more about all NIOSH and grantee AgFF projects. Furthermore, there are a number of emerging issues that still need to be explored in this sector, where little or no work is yet underway. For example, the use of global positioning system-controlled tractors on large farms. Although adoption of these new technologies may benefit productivity, new technologies can also result in unanticipated occupational safety and health risks and benefits. Therefore, continued research in this sector is critical to the occupational safety and health of those who work within the sector. Read more about emerging issues.
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Page last updated: February 10, 2012
Page last reviewed: February 10, 2012 Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
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NIOSH Program:Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing |
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BLS, Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries, comparison of 2009 preliminary and updated, selected characteristics. 
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Although the rates of fatality and injury remain high in this sector, the research efforts of NIOSH and its grantees, including 10 grant funded agricultural centers, have contributed to reductions in fatalities and injuries over the last 10-15 years largely through the accomplishment of intermediate outcomes. For instance, the F/V Wizard, from the Deadliest Catch, participated in the NIOSH personal flotation device (PFD) study. The F/V Wizard now has a 100% mandatory PFD requirement while on deck. The NIOSH study played a role in the captain’s decision to make PFDs mandatory. The Department of Labor (DOL) also relies on NIOSH recommendations to inform their rule making process. The U.S. Department of Labor announced final child labor rules that went into effect on July 19, 2010. The federal register notice and 
Since protecting the occupational safety and health of workers is NIOSH’s first priority, the Institute works diligently to ensure that it expends its funds efficiently and effectively. One of the ways the Institute does this is through periodic program evaluations. In 2005, NIOSH commissioned the National Academies to conduct program reviews of eight of its programs, one of the eight being the AgFF program. Based on the recommendations received from the National Academies committee, the gold standard of independent scientific review, NIOSH developed a plan to guide the implementation of these recommendations over the next several years. NIOSH’s Board of Scientific Counselors has also been asked to periodically assess the programs progress in undertaking the implementation of these recommendations. Read more about the