Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116262

Matthew Keifer, MD, MPH, Dep Env & Occ Hlth Sciences and Int Scholars Occ Env Hlth, University of Washington, Box 357234, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, 206.616.1452, mkeifer@u.washington.edu, Mary K. Salazar, EdD, RN, COHN-S, Occupational Health Nursing Program, Universtiy of Washington, School of Nursing, Box 357262, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, Karen Snyder, PhD, MPH, Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, Jonathan N. Hofmann, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 357236, Seattle, WA 98195-7236, and Heather E. Barr, MS Candidate, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195.

Agriculture is a hazardous industry that is characterized by high rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injury. Orchard workers are at particularly high risk of being injured at work. The primary goal of the Orchard Injury Project is to reduce occupational injuries among workers in the tree fruit industry. In this project we have explored and characterized an array of factors contributing to the occurrence of injury among orchard workers. Based on these identified factors, we will continue to develop, implement, and evaluate technological interventions. In particular, the aims of this project are to: 1) determine the most common types of reported and unreported injuries among orchard workers though interviews and an examination of workers' compensation data; 2) prioritize the injuries and risk conditions that lead to injuries among orchard workers; 3) use this information to develop targeted interventions aimed at reducing the frequency of risk conditions that lead to injury; 4) develop sensor-based devices for ladders that can both monitor the occurrence of risk conditions and be adapted to warn workers of the condition; and 5) evaluate the effectiveness and the cost-benefit of the interventions. This presentation will describe the background for the project and our progress to date. Specific research efforts related to the Orchard Injury Project will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• • Identify several key occupational hazards and risk factors associated with injuries in the tree fruit industry.
  • Recognize technological solutions to ladder-related injuries among orchard workers.
  • Evaluate qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection and analysis of occupational health hazards among orchard workers.

Keywords: Agricultural Work Safety,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.