Agricultural health and safety

There is a hidden cost to the fresh fruits and vegetables you buy at your local market.

Picture-perfect produce at your local market is the surest sign of summer in the Pacific Northwest.    Those berries, cherries and other fruits and vegetables arrive in stores Instagram-ready thanks in part to farm laborers who apply pesticides to agricultural crops throughout the year.   But that work can put farmworkers and thei

  Editor's note: Professor Michael Yost joined the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) in 1993 and was named department chair in 2014. 

Dr. Julianne Meisner is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) and an Assistant Professor in the UW Department of Global Health. A veterinarian with a PhD in Epidemiology, Dr. Meisner’s research interests focus on the intersection of human, animal and environmental health. 

Sally Thompson-Iritani, DVM/PhD, CPIA, has worked in the animal welfare, compliance and research field for over 30 years. She feels strongly that recognizing the important role of our animal caregivers and the relationship that we form with the animals in our care is essential for the well-being of both the animals and the people that interact with laboratory animals.

Cynthia L. Curl, MS, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community and Environmental Health at Boise State University, where she studies the intersection between agricultural production and human health and directs the Curl Agricultural Health Lab.

Dr. Kasner is an Assistant Teaching Professor with a research focus on leveraging technology to prevent injury and illness among working populations.

Dr. Austin received her Doctor of Science in Environmental Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with concentrations in Exposure Assessment and Biostatistics.

Marguerite Pappaioanou, DVM, MPVM, PhD, is an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she contributes to the research, teaching, and outreach programs of the Center for One Health Research.

Dr Lu is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Sciences in the College of Resources and Environment at Southwest University in Chongqing, China. His teaching and research is focused on environmental physiology and toxicology.  He assists Chinese students from Zhejiang University to apply for graduate studies within DEOHS. 

Dr. Jennifer Lincoln has three decades of occupational safety and health experience focusing on the prevention of traumatic injuries among workers in high-risk industries. She is best known for her work in the commercial fishing industry.

For 33 years Professor Emeritus John Garland worked at Oregon State University as Timber Harvesting Extension Specialist bringing new technologies, conducting research and providing educational programs and publications to Oregon’s forestry sector. He continues his OSU research on operators in steep slope logging.

Dr. Michael Yost is Professor and Chair of the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS). He is also the Director of the Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center at DEOHS. A member of the DEOHS faculty since 1993, Dr. Yost was named department chair in August 2014. 

Dr. Spector is a physician-scientist with a focus on the prevention and management of adverse health outcomes related to heat exposure in working populations. 

Dr. Sipos is Associate Teaching Professor in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences. She works at the intersection of food systems, community-engaged scholarship, sustainability and equity. Her teaching and research center community and regional scales. Dr.

Dr. Christopher Simpson is Professor and Assistant Chair for Research and Faculty Engagement in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS).

Dr. Peter Rabinowitz is Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and Director of the UW Center for One Health Research.

Dr. Catherine Karr is an environmental epidemiologist and pediatric environmental medicine specialist. She has a primary appointment in the UW Department of Pediatrics, a joint appointment in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and an adjunct appointment in the Department of Epidemiology.

DEOHS MS student, Lilian Liu was awarded the UW Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies' 2021-22 Washington State Labor Research Grant for the study, "Assessing Stakeholder Engagement in Labor Policy: T

Communities across the western United States experience hazardous smoke exposures from multiple fire sources. As wildfires become more frequent and severe, smoke exposures stemming from these fires are also worsening. Prescribed burning is a promising forest management strategy that can mitigate future wildfire risk, but also contributes to biomass burning emissions and human exposure impacts.

Laws permitting growth and possession of cannabis for medicinal and recreational use are currently changing rapidly in the United States (U.S.) and internationally. (Carliner et al., 2017; Caulkins et al., 2018; Mahamad and Hammond, 2019) While cultivation and use of cannabis is still considered illegal by the U.S. federal government, multiple U.S.

The COVID-19 pandemic had differential impacts on vulnerable populations, including US individuals of Hispanic descent and certain working populations. Despite this, there are gaps in scientific knowledge regarding risk factors for infection in such vulnerable populations.

The wine industry in Washington state is a high-hazard industry that exposes workers to a variety of physical, chemical, psychosocial, and natural hazards. However, literature on the impact of these hazards on this worker population is limited. This thesis presents a narrative literature review of hazards, exposures, health effects, and controls that impact the industry’s workers.

The use of chemical agents to eradicate pests and weeds is prevalent across both developing and developed countries, and it plays a crucial role in the agricultural sector by enhancing crop yields and minimizing losses.

Background.

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria has been a prominent topic of concern for the public health sector in the 21st century. While there are many factors that contribute to increasing AMR in the human population, antimicrobial use in companion animal and large animal veterinary practices is of particular interest due to the One Health paradigm.

U.S. meat producers continue to face challenges with how to improve production sustainability, while balancing environmental and animal wellbeing decisions. The industry is driven by changing consumer preferences and market trends that require the need for continued transformations towards a sustainable production practice.

The IPC Plan is used to implement preventative measures to prioritize the health and well-being of all employees and animals on farms.