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Original research
Agricultural work-related fatalities and injuries in Punjab (India)
  1. Shiv Kumar Lohan,
  2. Prashant Singh,
  3. Sunil Kumar
  1. Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India
  1. Correspondence to Dr Shiv Kumar Lohan, Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India; shivkumarlohan{at}pau.edu

Abstract

Objective Analysis of data on monetary compensation and estimating the rate of injuries related to agricultural activities in the state of Punjab.

Methods The primary data were collected from 22 districts of Punjab state for 2012–2015 through Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board, Mohali. Data were analysed for the nature of health hazards, type of injuries, possible causes and factors of injuries and their gender.

Results During the four consecutive years (2012–2015) an overall 5888 hazards cases related to agricultural activities were reported from the state, out of which 1993 (33.85%) were fatal and 3895 (66.15%) were non-fatal injuries. Among the fatal cases, the leading causes reported were due to electric motors (34.47%), poisoning through snake bites (21.48%), poisoning through pesticide applications with sprayers (19.62%) and crushed under/falling from the tractors and related equipment (13.50%). The annual fatality rate of the state of Punjab was estimated as 14.14 per 100 000 agricultural workers, while the overall injury incidence rate was observed as 39.57 per 100 000 agricultural workers.

Conclusions Majority of agricultural work-related health hazards in Punjab were mainly due to negligence, lack of knowledge/experience, restlessness/sleeplessness, inadequate safety measures, over speed and wrong practices employed by the operator. There is a need for better ergonomic controls, work environments and practices for the prevention of injuries and health hazards related to agricultural activities.

  • Policy analysis
  • Occupational injury
  • Rehabilitation
  • Regulation

Data availability statement

Data are available on reasonable request. The primary data are available in the form of excel sheet. Data are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author.

https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2022-044566

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    Data availability statement

    Data are available on reasonable request. The primary data are available in the form of excel sheet. Data are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author.

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @shivkumarlohan

    • Contributors SKL supervised and conceptualised the methodology and experiment work, PS performed the investigation part and data curation of nine districts out of 22 districts of Punjab state and SK performed the investigation part and data curation of the rest of the thirteen districts of Punjab state. The authors accepts responsibility for the completion of study and access to the data to publish.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.