Fatal agricultural accidents

During the period 1969-1988, 33 victims (30 males and 3 females) of agricultural accidents were autopsied at the University Institute of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen. Five were under the age of 15 years. The median age was 51 years. The most frequent types of accident were machinery accidents (45%), falling from a height (30%) and suffocation, including drowning, (12%). The place of the accident was meadow/field (36%), stable/barn (24%), farmyard (24%) and public road (12%). Severe lesions in all body regions dominated the picture with a preponderance of skull/brain and chest lesions. Skull/brain lesions were found in 80% of the cases of falling from a height, while 87% of the machinery accident cases had severe chest lesions. More effective control of machinery and a data collection system for these accidents are proposed.