Youth in Agriculture eTool
Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in the nation. Each year, more than 2 million youth under the age of 20 are exposed to farm-related safety hazards. As a result, a significant number of young people are killed, injured or permanently disabled on farms in the United States. This eTool describes common agricultural hazards and offers potential safety solutions that both employers and young workers can utilize to prevent accidents and avoid injury on the job.
Additional Information
- Fatal Unintentional Farm Injuries Among Persons Less than 20 Years of Age in the United States: Geographic Profiles. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-131, (July 2001). Summarizes fatal farm injuries to people under 20 years of age from 1982 to 1996.
- Injuries Among Youth on Farms in the United States 1998. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-154, (June 2001).
- Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program
- Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Initiative. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Includes links to FACE investigative reports of fatal injuries to youth in agricultural settings.
Workers' Rights
Workers have the right to:
- Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm.
- Receive information and training (in a language and vocabulary the worker understands) about workplace hazards, methods to prevent them, and the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace.
- Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses.
- File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect their workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard or that their employer is not following OSHA's rules. OSHA will keep all identities confidential.
- Exercise their rights under the law without retaliation, including reporting an injury or raising health and safety concerns with their employer or OSHA. If a worker has been retaliated against for using their rights, they must file a complaint with OSHA as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days.
For additional information, see OSHA's Workers page.
How to Contact OSHA
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to help ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov or call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.