Dairy workers are commonly exposed to microbes and allergens on the job. However, little is known about whether these exposures provide health benefits or contribute to an increased risk of illness. The ‘hygiene hypothesis,’ suggests that exposure to microbes on farms may have immune benefits.
Project Overview
Tree-fruit activities such as pruning, structural cutting, and green fruit thinning, are high-intensity labor activities traditionally performed on the ground or on ladders. To explore the impact of new technology on worker strain and injury, this project conducted a comparison between three different treatment groups: ground, ladder, and harvest-assisted mobile platforms.
Our previous survey on personal and family health in agricultural families, revealed stress-related behavioral health problems. The purpose of this project is to identify agricultural work stressors and provide training for farm owners and farmworkers to reduce workplace stress.
Farmworkers are at an increased risk for heat-related illness given their work requires heavy exertion in an outdoor setting. This study explored the personal, cultural, environmental, and work-related risk factors for heat-related illness for Latino farmworkers in Oregon.
El Proyecto Bienestar (EPB) or, Well Being Project, is a long-standing community health intervention effort guided by a Yakima Valley community advisory board. The partnership is comprised of: The University of Washington; Northwest Communities Education Center/Radio KDNA; Heritage University; and Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic.
This stakeholder driven project aimed to reduce un-permitted harvesting of special forest products (SFPs) in the Forks, Washington area and increase the overall health of the environment and the workers. In a one-year effort, the Sustainable Harvest project brought together harvesters, public and private landowners, and local city and tribal government representatives.
