Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Occupational health and safety
The Most Important Thing is to Know What to Wear When Working in the Sun
Presents findings of focus groups with 54 Spanish-speaking crop workers about their access to and preferences regarding optimal workplace clothing for hot conditions. Discusses strategies for increasing access to optimal clothing including the role of the employer.
Author(s): Whitney Pennington, Yessica Martinez, Kayna Hobbs-Murphy, John Resecrance, Morgan Valley
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 2025
Date: 08/2025
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Presents findings of focus groups with 54 Spanish-speaking crop workers about their access to and preferences regarding optimal workplace clothing for hot conditions. Discusses strategies for increasing access to optimal clothing including the role of the employer.
Author(s): Whitney Pennington, Yessica Martinez, Kayna Hobbs-Murphy, John Resecrance, Morgan Valley
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 2025
Date: 08/2025
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Solar Panel Installation Workers Exposed to Pesticides During Two Agricultural Applications — Michigan, August 2023 and May 2024
Reports on two instances of nonagricultural workers operating on or adjacent to farmland who were exposed to farm-related pesticides. Describes each event and the exposure response and discusses ways to reduce the risk of these types of exposures.
Author(s): Hailey TenHarmsel, Laurel Harduar Morano, Kenneth D. Rosenman
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(28), 450-454
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on two instances of nonagricultural workers operating on or adjacent to farmland who were exposed to farm-related pesticides. Describes each event and the exposure response and discusses ways to reduce the risk of these types of exposures.
Author(s): Hailey TenHarmsel, Laurel Harduar Morano, Kenneth D. Rosenman
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(28), 450-454
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Fatal Work Injuries Fell in 2023
Bar charts showing the number of fatal work injuries and rate per 100,000 full-time workers for 2022 and 2023 by broad occupational group. For the farming, fishing, and forestry group, the number and rate increased.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Bar charts showing the number of fatal work injuries and rate per 100,000 full-time workers for 2022 and 2023 by broad occupational group. For the farming, fishing, and forestry group, the number and rate increased.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Mortality by Industry and Occupation — United States, 2020–2022
Reports on mortality due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive lung disease, for men and women by industry and occupation. Includes data on IPF mortality in industries and occupations common in rural areas, such as farming, fishing, and forestry work.
Author(s): Jacek M. Mazurek, Girija Syamlal, David N. Weissman
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(7), 109-115
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on mortality due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive lung disease, for men and women by industry and occupation. Includes data on IPF mortality in industries and occupations common in rural areas, such as farming, fishing, and forestry work.
Author(s): Jacek M. Mazurek, Girija Syamlal, David N. Weissman
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(7), 109-115
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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North Carolina Farmworker Health Program: 2024 Profile
Fact sheet on funding, performance measures, and economic impact of the North Carolina Farmworker Health Program. Includes a county-level map showing farmworker health service delivery sites and other grant-supported partners as of June 2023.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Fact sheet on funding, performance measures, and economic impact of the North Carolina Farmworker Health Program. Includes a county-level map showing farmworker health service delivery sites and other grant-supported partners as of June 2023.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Rural Roads to Cognitive Resilience (RRR): A Prospective Cohort Study Protocol
Study protocol to investigate the influence of smoke-related fine particulate matter exposures and social and built environments on social isolation and cognitive function among rural Floridians in areas affected by seasonal agricultural burning. Discusses the significance of health disparities associated with agriculture in predominantly Black and Hispanic communities.
Author(s): Lilah M. Besser, Lisa Wiese, Diane J. Cook, et al.
Citation: PloS ONE, 20(1), e0312660
Date: 01/2025
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Study protocol to investigate the influence of smoke-related fine particulate matter exposures and social and built environments on social isolation and cognitive function among rural Floridians in areas affected by seasonal agricultural burning. Discusses the significance of health disparities associated with agriculture in predominantly Black and Hispanic communities.
Author(s): Lilah M. Besser, Lisa Wiese, Diane J. Cook, et al.
Citation: PloS ONE, 20(1), e0312660
Date: 01/2025
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Safeguarding Children in Agriculture: A National Action Plan
Offers strategies and intended outcomes for 7 goals related to creating safe environments for children in agricultural settings. Goals cover leadership, gathering and using data, policy, creating and using research, and addressing emerging threats. Builds upon the 2012 plan Blueprint for Protecting Children in Agriculture: The 2012 National Action Plan.
Author(s): Andrea Swenson, Bryan Weichelt, Amy Liebman, et al.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
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Offers strategies and intended outcomes for 7 goals related to creating safe environments for children in agricultural settings. Goals cover leadership, gathering and using data, policy, creating and using research, and addressing emerging threats. Builds upon the 2012 plan Blueprint for Protecting Children in Agriculture: The 2012 National Action Plan.
Author(s): Andrea Swenson, Bryan Weichelt, Amy Liebman, et al.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
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A Multi-State Evaluation of Agricultural Safety Learning through Secondary Students' Supervised Agricultural Experience Journal Entries
Analyzes student work-based journal reflections to assess the influence of an agricultural machinery safety training for high school students in Montana, Utah, and South Dakota. Discusses the association between instructor training and student safety journaling.
Author(s): Scott W. Smalley, Dustin K. Perry, Rebecca G. Lawver, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(3), 245-256
Date: 2025
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Analyzes student work-based journal reflections to assess the influence of an agricultural machinery safety training for high school students in Montana, Utah, and South Dakota. Discusses the association between instructor training and student safety journaling.
Author(s): Scott W. Smalley, Dustin K. Perry, Rebecca G. Lawver, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(3), 245-256
Date: 2025
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The Climate of Working Alone in Agriculture
Summarizes research from 193 articles discussing safety issues for agricultural workers who work alone, U.S. regulations for lone worker safety including enforcement, and similarities with hazards in other industries.
Author(s): Aaron James Etienne, William E. Field, Shawn G. Ehlers, Roger Tormoehlen, Noah Joel Haslett
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(2), 93-108
Date: 2025
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Summarizes research from 193 articles discussing safety issues for agricultural workers who work alone, U.S. regulations for lone worker safety including enforcement, and similarities with hazards in other industries.
Author(s): Aaron James Etienne, William E. Field, Shawn G. Ehlers, Roger Tormoehlen, Noah Joel Haslett
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(2), 93-108
Date: 2025
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A Summary of Fatalities and Injuries Involving Horizontal Bunk or Open Pile Silos Used in Agricultural Production
Evaluates the frequency and severity of injuries of agricultural workers in horizontal bunk silos. Breaks down the different types of silo-related injuries and rates of fatalities.
Author(s): Noah Joel Haslett, William E. Field, Mahmoud Nour, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(3), 231-243
Date: 2025
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Evaluates the frequency and severity of injuries of agricultural workers in horizontal bunk silos. Breaks down the different types of silo-related injuries and rates of fatalities.
Author(s): Noah Joel Haslett, William E. Field, Mahmoud Nour, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(3), 231-243
Date: 2025
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