Injury Severity Related to Overturn Characteristics of Tractors

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cole, Henry P. ; Myers, Melvin L. ; Westneat SC
• Description:
  Introduction: Early studies of injuries associated with overturns indicate that more fatalities occurred when a tractor overturned beyond 90 degrees (continuous roll) relative to the impact plane. Recently, the principle of preventing continuous rolls has re-emerged for the protection of riding lawnmower operators. Method: Related to tractors, a population-based study was conducted that compared the severity of fatal and nonfatal injuries between a 90 degrees and continuous roll for tractors equipped with rollover protective structures (ROPS) and not equipped with a ROPS (non- ROPS). In 2002, the Kentucky Farm Tractor Overturn Survey was administered to an 8% random sample (6,063) of Kentucky farm operators. The farmers responded to questions that differentiated between the types of overturns and operator injury outcomes for ROPS-equipped and non-ROPS tractors during overturn events. Overturn characteristics were collected that included 90 degrees to the side, beyond 90 degrees to the side, and to the rear for both ROPS-equipped and non-ROPS tractors. RESULTS: Of the 541 overturns reported in this study, 535 (99%) of the respondents reported the most recent overturn characteristics of the tractor: 92 (17%) were ROPS-equipped and 443 (83%) were non-ROPS. For side overturns, 67% of the rolls occurred with ROPS-equipped tractors, and 54% occurred with non-ROPS tractors. The percentages of deaths related to rolls to the side for ROPS-equipped and non-ROPS tractors were, respectively, 1.6% and 3.7%. There was one (2%) deaths related to 90 degrees rolls for ROPS-equipped tractors, whereas for continuous rolls there were 6.4% fatalities related to side overturns, 13% resulted in non-fatal injuries with an average of 1 day of hospitalization for ROPS-equipped tractors, and 39% resulted in non-fatal injuries with an average of 18 days of hospitalization for non-ROPS tractors. The results from this study indicated that a ROPS was more effective at stopping an overturn at 90 degrees than no ROPS, with an associated reduction in the severity of injury in the event of a tractor overturn. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Automobiles Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Agricultural Machinery Agricultural Safety Author Keywords: Tractor Equipment Design Fatalities Injuries Motor Vehicles Overturn Rollover Rollover Protective Structures ROPS Safety Belts Safety Equipments Seatbelt Tractors

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• ISSN:
  0022-4375
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  165-170
• Volume:
  40
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035412
• Citation:
  J Safety Res 2009 Apr; 40(2):165-170
• Contact Point Address:
  Melvin L. Myers, University of Kentucky, College of Public Health, Lexington, KY 40536
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Kentucky
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Safety Research
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b2cfd52b585dd82001b3a09f2b328d3275a7ea794301a173ccd98736179c966db642605b56deff86cfa0df89dd545c6b3ed324fab20a6c8356df63a3f19026da
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/187277/cdc_187277_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 157.55 KB ]