Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ity has been in agriculture, a few studies have looked at noise in forest harvesting
and aboard catcher-processor fishing vessels.
Dermatological Disorders
Dermatological disorders are known to be an important problem in produc-
tion agriculture. Less is known about their impact on the health of workers in
forestry and fishing. The AFF Program does not appear to have generated major
outputs in this field.
Traumatic Injury
The epidemiology of traumatic injury and death on farms and in the Alaska
fishery has received a great deal of emphasis in the AFF Program. Much less infor-
mation was available about this topic with reference to forestry. Important contri-
butions to the understanding of the problem have been made by intramural and
extramural NIOSH investigators, particular those working in the fishing industry
in Alaska. In that arena, the research has led to the development of solutions for the
problem and to a large reduction in death rates. Finding a way to reduce injury and
death from trauma on farms has proved more difficult except for injury to children
and tractor rollovers, in which considerable progress has been made. Much work
remains to be done to extend the fishery work to other regions; to devise effective
ways of reducing injuries in all farm populations, including farm workers; and to
address the large problem of traumatic injury in forestry workers.
Poisonings
Poisoning from exposure to high concentrations of toxicants remains an impor-
tant problem in AFF workers, primarily related to exposure to pesticides. NIOSH has
funded extensive work in agricultural pesticide poisoning, including epidemiology,
identifying clinically relevant biomarkers, and training workers to avoid causative
pesticide exposure. Some of the work has been done in effective interagency collab-
orative relationships, particularly through the AHS. NIOSH has also helped to raise
awareness of the problem of carbon monoxide poisoning in production agriculture
through the publication of a NIOSH Alert on the topic. There has also been an effort
to educate fishermen about it. NIOSH's response to emerging problems regard-
ing poisonings in the AFF sector has not always been rapid. For example, several
years elapsed between the deaths of two farmers from unintentional injection of
tilmicosin, a veterinary antibiotic, and the publication of a NIOSH Update report
containing recommendations to prevent poisoning with it.
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