Tractor rollovers long have been the leading cause of workplace deaths on U.S. farms. In recent years, though, those fatalities have declined as farmers buy new machines, or reequip their old models, with roll bars, reinforced cabs and seatbelts.
Fatalities from tractor rollovers have dropped from a rate of 5.5 deaths per 100,000 agriculture workers in 1992 to 3.6 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2007, the last year for which official numbers are available, according to The Associated Press.
A 2006 survey, however, showed that 40 percent of the nation’s 4.2 million tractors still lacked rollover protection.
Part of the problem is that tractors are expensive and last for many years, so machines in use today often date back to the 1950s through 1970s. At the same time, adding safety features can cost farmers in the range of $1,000 to $2,000, a tough expenditure in difficult economic times, the AP said.
In addition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only a handful of states require rollover protection gear on farms with 10 or fewer employees.
