Injuries associated with self-unloading forage wagons--New York, 1991-1994

In New York, an estimated 3600 injuries occur each year to farmers operating farm machines (1). In October 1993, the Occupational Health Nurses in Agricultural Communities (OHNAC) program in the New York State Department of Health received a report of a man who sustained severe injuries when he became entangled in the power take-off (PTO) driveline to a self-unloading forage wagon. Subsequent investigation by OHNAC identified four additional similar incidents in New York that occurred during September 1991-October 1994, including one fatality and one injury to a 9-year-old girl working on a family farm. This report summarizes the results of the investigation of these forage-wagon-related injuries and presents recommendations to reduce the risk for such injuries.