Many farm and ranch operations are family owned and operated and include workers of all ages. As a result, older adults are more prevalent in production agriculture than in other occupations. Between 2002 and 2007, the average age of farm operators increased from 55.3 to 57.1, and the number of farm operators over the age of 75 increased by 20% (2007 Census of Agriculture). Senior farmers and ranchers can offer valuable insight and wisdom gained from their years of work experience. It is important to keep communication channels open with senior workers, provide necessary worksite accommodations, and implement changes to keep them safe.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), when it comes to work-related injuries, older workers are at a disadvantage compared to their younger counterparts because older workers are more susceptible to injuries and typically have a longer recuperation period (NIOSH, 2009). In an article in the October 2005 Monthly Labor Review, Samuel Meyer notes that in the period between 1995 and 2005, a farmer over the age of 55 was over 10 times more likely to be involved in a fatal-injury incident involving tractors, equipment, or animals.
Senior farmers and ranchers are typically at a higher risk for work-related injuries and death due to the effects of the aging process. These effects can include:
These types of changes can affect the work that senior farmers and ranchers can safely complete. Agricultural producers and family members need to consider ways to make adjustments and modifications to better accommodate the needs of senior workers.
To decrease the risk of injury, those working with senior farmers and ranchers should take the following actions:
Working with senior farmers and ranchers. (2012) Farm and Ranch eXtension in Safety and Health (FReSH) Community of Practice. Retrieved from http://www.extension.org/pages/63140/working-with-senior-farmers-and-ranchers.
2007 Census of Agriculture: Demographics. (2007) United States Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Statistics Service. Retrieved from http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Online_Highlights/Fact_Sheets/Demographics/demographics.pdf.
Freeman, S., Schwab, C., & Miller, L. (n.d.) Keep active farmers safer in later life. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Retrieved from http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1841A.pdf.
Funkenbusch, K. & Downs, W. (n.d.) Senior farmers at risk on the farm. Agricultural Safety Tips and Ideas. Retrieved from http://agrability.missouri.edu/ruralsafety/factsheets/updated/SeniorFarmersRiskOntheFarm.pdf.
Meyer, S. (2005) Fatal occupational injuries to older workers in farming. Monthly Labor Review. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/10/art5full.pdf.
Murphy, D. (1994) Senior farmers and safety: How changing health affects risks of fatal injury. Extension Circular 147. The Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension.
Occupational health disparities. (2009) National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/ohd/risks.html.