Tractor Risk Abatement and Control TRAC Melvin L. Myers melmyersbellsouth.net

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Tractor Risk Abatement and Control (TRAC)Melvin
L. Myersmelmyers_at_bellsouth.net

• The Epidemic
• TRAC Conference
• Strategies
• Priorities

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Agriculture at Risk, 1988

• the tractor is the predominant agent of traumatic
  death and disabling injury
• a duty to assure every working man and woman in
  the Nation safe and healthful working conditions
• the general public is unaware and therefore
  unconcerned

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Epidemic of Death and InjuryTractor-Related!

• 32 of agricultural deaths
• 270 ( non-occupational) fatalities/year
• 20 are youth fatalities
• 264,651 restricted workday injuries
• 10,939 lost-time injuries

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Tractor-related Fatalities(accumulated)
4860
270 deaths per year
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TRAC Conference, 1997

• How do we assure that every tractor has a ROPS?
• What policies are needed to
• prevent injuries from tractor runovers?
• prevent tractor-related collisions on roads?
• eliminate tractor-related injuries among youth?

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Strategy Definitionstheory of planned behavior
Attitudes positive or negative evaluations
Culture traditions, ethics, and other
standards that influence the way things are
accomplished with others
Intention
Social pressures individuals perceptions of
social pressures put on them
Perceived control the degree of control the
person perceives
Behavior
Intervention
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Overturns! Is the Strategy Complete?How do we
assure that every tractor that needs a ROPS has
one?
Attitudes
Monitor tractor injuries
Culture
Intention
Social Pressure
Rules for ROPS on tractors by 2003, operated by
youth or employees by 2005, all tractors sold
recycling program by 2007, on roads by 2010,
those w/ ROPS design by 2015, all tractors
Change social norm
Perceived Control
Establish subsidy Fund research for ROPS
designs Define liability Promote incentive
programs
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Collisions! Is the Strategy Complete?What
combination of public and private policies are
needed to prevent tractor-related collisions on
roads?
Attitudes
questions on drivers exam promote driving safety
Culture
Intention
Social Pressure
by 2005, valid drivers license required by
2005, adopt tractor lighting and marking
codes from Question 1 by 2007, ROPS on roads
promote equipment visibility
Perceived Control
incentives for tractor safety on roads
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Runovers! Is the Strategy Complete?What
combination of public and private policies are
needed to prevent injuries from tractor runovers?
Attitudes
Promote devises to stop by-pass starting
approved extra-rider seats
Culture
Intention
Social Pressure
From Question 1 ROPS on tractors
no extra-rider norm educate public
Perceived Control
From Question 1 Promote incentive programs
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Youth! Is the Strategy Complete?What combination
of public and private policies are needed to
eliminate tractor-related injuries among youth?
Attitudes
distribute age- appropriate guidelines
Culture
Intention
Social Pressure
formal youth- operator training
parental supervision
Perceived Control
For example, child care recommendations from the
National Committee for Childhood Agricultural
Injury Prevention
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Impact Tractor-related Fatalities(accumulated)
ROPS-all
ROPS-design exists
ROPS-on roads
ROPS-on sales license retirement incentives
More than 2000 lives can be saved!
ROPS-youth, employees
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Priority Changing Culture

• National Safety Council diffuse knowledge of a
  public duty to control recognized tractor
  hazards, ala primary noxious weeds.
• NIOSH Centers adopt tractor intervention
  principles from Victoria, Australia.
• NIOSH maintain a national surveillance of
  tractor-related injuries (and fatalities) w/NHTSA
  and DoL Repeat the Traumatic Injury Survey of
  Farmers every 5 years.

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Duty to Control Recognized Tractor Hazards

• install ROPS (including a foldable ROPS in low
  clearance areas) on non-ROPS production tractors,
  
• use seatbelt in the presence of a ROPS,
• install latest approved (by the ASAE) lighting
  and marking on farm equipment,
• allow no extra riders on tractors,
• install devises to prevent bypass starting,
• assure that tractor operators have a drivers
  license prior to driving on public roads.
• require young operators have formal tractor
  driver training , and
• keep children away from tractors.

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Victoria, Australia Principles (ROPS
intervention)

• acquaint target audience with preliminary rebate
  schemes
• involve key players in early planning,
• recognize and use opportunities,
• gain acceptance before implementation,
• create receptive environment,
• combine strategies (regulatory, publicity and
  education, financial incentive, and perceived
  enforcement),
• review and address difficulties and barriers
  before implementation,
• update key players and target audience on
  progress, and
• monitor implementation for issues and alert the
  target audience.

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Priority Changing Attitudes

• NIOSH launch sentinel event surveillance of
  tractor fatalities (w/ NTSB) with a human parable
  blitz where each death occurs (ala Kentucky
  ROPS project).
• USDA the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
  establish an agromedicine program in each state
  and focus on Best Management Practices for
  tractor safety.
• USDA establish an active internet extension
  program for safety.

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Priority Changing Norms

• The NSC National Education Center lead the social
  marketing recommendations in the TRAC report.
• FHA launch a Sharing the Road program for farm
  equipment on rural roads, and DoT update its 1971
  report on tractor safety on public roads.
• CDCs NCIPC add Safe Farm to its Safe America
  campaign.

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Priority Changing Perceived Control

• NIOSH, EMI, and USDA launch university-based ROPS
  design programs.
• The Farm Bureau and other insurance companies
  extend incentives for and publicize farm safety
  interventions, ala Certified Safe Farm.
• ORHP promote farm safety at rural hospitals and
  encourage rebates for interventions, ala Bradford
  Co., PA project.

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Priority The NIOSH Program

• Continue to fill voids left by other agencies,
  e.g., USDA, DoL, ORHP, NHTSA.
• Maintain integrity of the agriculture program by
  accounting for budget and funded staff.
• Focus child safety efforts at tractor safety.