Estimating occupational illness, injury, and mortality in food production: A farm-to-table analysis

Introduction: Many industries related to food production, including agriculture, manufacturing, and food preparation have high occupational morbidity rates. The purpose of our research is to provide an aggregate estimate of the burden of occupational illness, injury, and death related to each stage of food production in the US. Methods: We analyzed US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data from 2011 on occupational morbidity and mortality for industries involved in the non-consumer stages of the farm-to-table model (production; processing; distribution and storage; retail and preparation). To estimate the rates of injuries, illnesses, and deaths by stage, we scaled morbidity and mortality rates by 2011 BLS employment estimates. To estimate food category-specific risks, we developed farm-to-table models for meat and non-meat foods. Results: The annual injury rate for non-restaurant food system jobs was significantly higher than the national average occupational injury rate (5.3 cases/100 workers v. 3.8 cases/100 workers; p<0.0001). Furthermore, the meat-producing occupational injury rate was significantly higher than the non-meat-producing rate (6.3 cases/100 workers v. 5.2 cases/100 workers; p=0.009). However, the occupational mortality rate for food system workers was not significantly higher than the national average occupational mortality rate (0.105 deaths/1000 workers v. 0.036 deaths/1000 workers; p=0.478). Discussion: These findings will aid public health practitioners develop interventions to mitigate the occupational impact of food production on human capital by highlighting the multiple worker hazards throughout the farm to table continuum. Results from our study suggest that engineering interventions may reduce occupational injury in food production industries.