Report from the Sub-comittee on the environment and health

<strong>Report</strong>ed occupational
injuries
Type of accident event
prescribed safety rules. Even so, some users are not happy about using
pesticides because of doubts concerning <strong>the</strong> efficacy of gloves, breathing
equipment and o<strong>the</strong>r safety equipment (Bjørn, Rothmann 1998). Since it
is not possible in practice completely to avoid contact with <strong>the</strong> products,
some users are worried about possible chronic effects. O<strong>the</strong>rs put
ensuring <strong>the</strong> harvest ahead of any long-term effects, so <strong>the</strong> working
environment does not have <strong>the</strong> highest priority.
6.1.2 Accidents and injuries
The Danish Working Environment Authority (WEA) has analysed <strong>the</strong>
statistical data for <strong>the</strong> period 1993-1997 concerning reported
occupational injuries in farming (Bjørn, Rothmann 1998), using
employment figures <strong>from</strong> farming as at 1 January 1994. In <strong>the</strong> three
largest sectors, <strong>the</strong> employment figures were as follows:
1. Dairy farming 29,564 persons
2. Arable farming 25,498 persons
3. Mixed farming 21,284 persons
About 75% of <strong>the</strong> people working in agriculture were employed in <strong>the</strong>se
three sectors, and it is also <strong>the</strong>se three that have <strong>the</strong> biggest number of
reported industrial accidents.
In <strong>the</strong> period 1993-1995 26 fatal accidents were reported, 20 of which
occurred in <strong>the</strong> said three sectors. Most of <strong>the</strong> serious accidents reported
– resulting, for example, in amputation, broken bones or injury to
extensive parts of <strong>the</strong> body, also occurred in <strong>the</strong>se three sectors, namely,
256 reports out of 395. For <strong>the</strong> whole of agriculture, occupational injuries
were reported for 1,318 persons.
The largest number of “very serious accidents” (331 out of 395) was
reported for persons of 45 or under. The largest number of fatalities (21
out of 26) was reported for persons over 45. It should be noted that even
though about 50% of <strong>the</strong> employees were over 50, it is <strong>the</strong> younger age
groups that had <strong>the</strong> highest report incidence (8-12 reports per 1000
employees). The average incidence for reported industrial accidents in
<strong>the</strong> whole of agriculture was 4 reports per 1000 employees. The age
groups 18-24 years, 25-29 years and 30-34 years accounted for 54% of
all reported industrial accidents. The 18-24 year age group accounted for
27% of reported, very serious industrial accidents. Most of <strong>the</strong> industrial
accidents occurred in August-September.
In <strong>the</strong> case of children and young people under <strong>the</strong> age of 18, most
reports related to <strong>the</strong> 16-17 year age group. 84% of children and young
people employed in agriculture were less than 18 years of age. For this
group, most of <strong>the</strong> industrial accidents were reported within <strong>the</strong> first six
months of employment. Most of <strong>the</strong> reports concerning children and
young people were received in June-July. Farming has more fatalities
than any o<strong>the</strong>r sector of industry.
About one third of <strong>the</strong> types of accident events are classified as “lost
control of machines, aids and systems”, but accidents in connection with
work with animals (aggressive animal/animal out of control) and
accidents involving falls also toge<strong>the</strong>r account for one third. In <strong>the</strong> period
91