Spinal injuries due to front-end bale loaders

Of 22 patients admitted to Plains Health Centre, Regina, from January 1979 to April 1986 with spinal injuries due to farming accidents, 7 had injuries related to tractor-mounted front-end bale loaders. In contrast, none of the 12 patients admitted with farm-related spinal injuries from 1974 through 1978 had injuries related to bale loaders. All seven injuries occurred when a front-end loader was used to move a large, round hay bale. In each case when the loader arms were raised past the horizontal plane the bale rolled back onto the unprotected tractor operator. There were five thoracic injuries, one cervical injury and one lumbar injury. All seven bony injuries healed. Four of the patients had permanent neurologic sequelae; two of the four had paraplegia. All seven patients suffered disability that impaired work performance; all five farmers suffered some loss of income. None of these injuries would have occurred if available safety equipment had been in place.