Worker’s compensation claims data show dairy workers have a higher injury rate than workers in other industries. Industry specific risks include acute injuries from animal assaults, slips and falls on wet surfaces, and chronic injuries from repetitive stress. For many hired diary workers, Spanish is their primary language.
Project Overview
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
Pesticide drift is a long-standing issue in the Pacific Northwest, especially for the tree fruit industry and workforce. Studies have shown that at least 60% of drift events were linked to wind speed or direction changes. Understanding the role winds play in pesticide drift can prevent unintended exposure for workers and nearby communities.
Project Overview
We are excited to share our 'Partnership for Dairy Safety and Health' video that was released at the 2019 Washington Dairy Conference. Dairy owners and managers: please consider partnering with us in this work!
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.
