Farm Health
Written by Colusa Regional Medical Center

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, preventing injuries on the farm

Orthopedic injuries are by far the most frequent agriculturally related injuries that we see in the medical rehabilitation field.  Orthopedics includes disorders or injuries of the bone, muscles, joints and ligaments.  This can be in arms or legs, backs or necks. Strains, sprains and in some cases broken bones can be the result of a single damaging force or a progression of micro trauma.

Studies have shown that back injuries are cited as the most common reason for absenteeism in the workforce and the leading cause of lost time from work among agricultural workers in California.  Employees with back injuries can be cause for concern as the lost time and accompanying medical expenses can be prohibitive to the profitability of your operation.  Nationally, the average cost per back injury claim is $24,000.  If surgery is involved, the cost for claims increases significantly to $40,000 per injury or higher.   In assessing individuals for pre-employment physicals, many would be workers exhibit the strength needed to do the job but have very little or no knowledge of proper lifting techniques or good body mechanics needed to prevent back injuries.  “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is true in every aspect of farm safety.  It doesn’t help to have the manager of the operation educated in lifting techniques if that knowledge isn’t passed along.  Employees should also be responsible for their own back care.   Once training has taken place, accountability can be placed with an employee to perform proper lifting techniques.  All members of your staff should be empowered to hold each other accountable.  Ultimately, a back problem in a co-worker can lead to an increased work load for those left on the job, increasing the possibility of new and costly injuries. 

Other debilitating conditions that can have an operational and fiscal impact are cumulative trauma disorders.   These conditions are characterized by chronic irritation to a body part and are sometimes grouped together under the name Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD), Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) or Overuse Syndrome. Many different symptoms can arise from the accumulation of small injuries or stresses to the body. CTD is not so much a disease as it is a response to excessive demands that we place on our bodies - without giving them adequate time to recover between these demands.  Cumulative injuries may be of slow and progressive onset.  Because the small injuries do not cause pain, the internal weakening and damage of the condition is often ignored until the symptoms become severe and lead to a disabling injury. The repetitive nature of tasks performed by agricultural workers increases the potential for cumulative trauma disorders.  Working in a bent- over position is a recognized risk for CTD and back problems.  Again, prevention is the key.  Developing an injury prevention program is the best method to reduce back and other musculoskeletal injuries on the job.  Determine the need for lifting equipment, formalize a policy regarding lifting limitations to determine when assistance is needed, and implement a training and accountability program.   

Few would disagree that back injuries and other cumulative disorders are a common and serious occurrence in the agricultural business. Many believe it is not possible to prevent such injuries and that the cost of prevention is greater than the cost of the injuries. With the advent of new technology, the increasing cost of workers’ compensation and labor, and the availability of resources such as booklets, clinicians, and the internet it may be easier and more economical than ever to start preventing injuries now.

 For more information on pre-employment and annual physicals call Colusa Regional Medical Center Industrial Medicine and Out-Patient Specialty Clinic at (530)458-3243 and for information regarding back injury and cumulative trauma disorder prevention call CRMC Rehabilitation Department at (530)458-3287.