FACTS

1. The most frequent causes of tractor-related deaths in the farm are side and rear overturns. The vehicles typically involved in these incidents are older tractors that are not equipped with Roll-Over Protective Structures (ROPS).
2. Farming is among the most dangerous occupations in the United States, with a fatality rate that is 800 percent higher than the average American worker
3. Roll-overs are among the leading causes of injury and death for farm tractor operators.
4. Tractor overturn incidents can result in major injuries (crushing injuries, broken bones, and so on) and even death.
5. Side overturns are the most common type of tractor overturn incident. In a side overturn incident, a tractor rolls onto its side.
6. The two major factors at play inside overturn incidents are center of gravity and centrifugal force.

STATS

• Each year, an average of 132 American farm workers are crushed to death as tractors overturn during operation.
• If tractors without ROPS are not retrofitted, NIOSH estimates that 2,800 rollover-related deaths could occur during the period that these tractors remain in use (an estimated 31 years).
• Forty percent of the 250 persons involved in unprotected tractor rollover incidents died. In contrast, the study found that only 2%, or one person died, of the 61 persons operating ROPS-equipped tractors that rolled over. The one fatal victim was not personally restrained and was thrown from the ROPS protective zone during rollover.
• The most common type of tractor accident is rollovers—The U.S. Department of Labor (USDL) reports that 44% of farm accidents are due to tractor rollovers.
• Of the 4.8 million tractors currently operated in the U.S., 50% don’t have ROPS or seat belts.
• 1 in 10 operators overturn a tractor in his or her lifetime.
• 80% of deaths caused by tractor overturns involve experienced operators.
• 1 in 7 farmers involved in tractor overturns is permanently disabled.
• 7 of 10 farms will go out of business within 5 years following a tractor-related fatality.