Personal Injury Law

Farm related work deaths analyzed

By Steve Lombardi

Seventy-nine workers suffered a traumatic death while working in Iowa during 2007 according to the Iowa Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program, called IA FACE, based at the University of Iowa College of Public Health in Iowa City. That figure is close to the average number of worker deaths for the past 10 years.

"Of the fatalities, 22 farmers lost their lives, 23 truckers died in fatal crashes, and over a dozen workers died at their industrial or commercial place of employment," says Murray Madsen, chief investigator for IA FACE. "Farmers accounted for approximately one-third of all traumatic work deaths in Iowa last year. This figure is similar to that of 2006."

Descriptions for all traumatic work deaths in the state from 1994 through 2006 are available at www.public-health.uiowa.edu/FACE.

Overturning tractors still account for too many deaths. If you're using a tractor without rollover protection, ask yourself if it's really worth the increased risk over the cost of buying a newer one.

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on May 09, 2008 (boomark / email).