Purdue Agricultural Safety and Health

Conduct Investigations

Much of the earlier work done on the broad problem of "farm accidents" involved little in-depth investigation based on epidemiological approaches. After completion of the first three statewide farm injury surveys completed in Indiana in the 1970s and 1980s, the conclusion was drawn that not much had changed in the big picture and that little was still known about the nature of specific types of workplace injuries. Because of the evident lack of prior research, recent Purdue efforts use on-going data collection to focus on specific high risk areas. For example, as a result of the concentrated research efforts on confined space and flowing grain entrapments, more effective educational materials were developed and more meaningful design recommendations were made to the manufacturers of grain storage facilities and grain transport vehicles to reduce the risk of flowing grain entrapment. Another good example of the impact of this type of research was the increased use by leading tractor manufacturers of the moveable power-take-off master shield which was shown superior by a Purdue study. See the section on graduate-level research for examples of recent research efforts.

This in-depth research has also resulted in approximately 50 peer-reviewed journal articles on various areas related to agricultural safety and health. This includes the following:

Field, W.E. "Stresses on Minnesota's Rural and Farm Families," The Visitor. Division of Agricultural Education, University of Minnesota, Vol. LXV, No. 3, July 1978 (Based on Ed.D. study).

Field, W.E. and M.A. Purschwitz. Cost of Farm and Rural Injuries. Public Health Reports. 102(6):642-644, November-December 1987.

Wilkinson, T.L. and W.E. Field. Safety Issues Relating to Agricultural Machines Modified for Disabled Operators. Trends in Ergonomics/Human Factors. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland), pp. 675-682, 1988.

Wilkinson, T.L. and W.E. Field. Documentation of Agricultural Tractor and Combine Modifications for Physically Disabled Operators. Assistive Technology. Volume 1, No. 2, 1989.

Barrett, J.R., R.S. Williams, and W.E. Field. Impact of Corn Cob Fueled Biomass Furnace Exhaust on Air Quality. Transactions of the ASAE. 32(3):963-967, 1989.

Purschwitz, M.A. and W.E. Field. Scope and Magnitude of Injuries in the Agricultural Workplace. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 18:179-192, 1990.

Purschwitz, M.A. and W.E. Field. Fatal Farm Injuries to Older Workers. Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation. 2(1):47-53, 1991.

Shutske, J.M., W.E. Field, L.D. Gaultney, and S.D. Parsons. Agricultural Machinery Fire Losses: A Preventative Approach. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 575-581, 1991.

Freeman, S.A., D.A. Brusnighan, and W.E. Field. Selecting Mobility Aids for Farmers and Ranchers with Physical Disabilities. Technology and Disability. 1(4):63-76, 1992.

Freeman, S.A., D.D. Jones, and W.E. Field. Rural Assistive Technology Hypermedia Decision Support System. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 10(6):823-830, 1994. (1995 ASAE Paper Award).

Tormoehlen, R.L. and W.E. Field. A Perfect Fit — Involving Youth with Disabilities in 4-H. Journal of Extension. 32(1), pp. 5, 1994.

Shutske, J.M., W.E. Field, and J. Chaplin. Grain Combine Fires: A Loss Reduction Approach. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 10(2):175-182, 1994.

Freeman, S.A. and W.E. Field. Selection of Rural Assistive Technology Using a HyperCard Based Knowledge System. Assistive Technology. 6(2):126-133, 1994.

Tormoehlen, R.L. and W.E. Field. Projecting Economic Losses Associated with Farm-related Permanent Disabilities. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 1(1):27-36, 1995.

Allen, P.B., W.E. Field, and M.J. Frick. Assessment of Work-related Injury Risk for Farmers and Ranchers with Physical Disabilities. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 1(2):71-81, 1995.

Whitman, S.D. and W.E. Field. Assessing Senior Farmers' Perceptions of Tractor and Machinery-related Hazards. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 1(3), 1995.

Sheldon, E.J., W.E. Field, and R.L. Tormoehlen. Fatal Farm Work-related Injuries Involving Children. Issues in Agricultural Health and Safety. CRC Press, pp. 355-362, 1995.

Allen, P.B., M.J. Frick, and W.E. Field. The Safety Education Training Needs of Farmers and Ranchers with Physical Disabilities. Journal of Agricultural Education. 36(3), 1995.

Tormoehlen, R.L. and E.J. Sheldon. ATV Use, Safety Practices, and Injuries Among Indiana's Youth. Journal of Safety Research. 27(3):147-155, 1996.

Kelley, K.W. and W.E. Field. Characteristics of Flowing Grain-related Entrapments and Suffocations with Emphasis on Grain Transport Vehicles. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 2(3):143-145, 1996.

Freeman, S.A., K.W. Kelley, D.E. Maier, and W.E. Field. Review of Entrapments in Bulk Agricultural Materials at Commercial Grain Facilities. Journal of Safety Research. 1996.

Freeman, S.A., K.W. Kelley, D.E. Maier, and W.E. Field. Entrapments in Bulk Agricultural Materials at North America Commercial Grain Facilities. Bulk Solids Handling. 17(3):405-406, 1997.

Freeman, S.A., S.D. Whitman, R.L. Tormoehlen, and K.M. Embleton. Internet Childhood Safety and Health Resource Guide. Journal of Extension. 35(2), 1997.

Freeman, S.A., S.D. Whitman, and R.L. Tormoehlen. Baseline Childhood Farm Safety Data for Indiana. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 4(2):119-130, 1998.

Freeman, S.A., K.W. Kelley, D.E. Maier, and W.E. Field. Review of Entrapments in Bulk Agricultural Materials at Commercial Grain Facilities. Journal of Safety Research. 29(2):123-134, 1998.

Tormoehlen, R.L., E.J. Sheldon, and W.E. Field. CAI/Multimedia Approach to Farm Tractor and Machinery Certification. Education and Information Technologies. 4(2) 43-45, 1999.

Carrabba, J.J., W.E. Field, R.L. Tormoehlen, and B.A. Talbert. Effectiveness of the Indiana 4-H Tractor Program at Instilling Safe Tractor Operating Behaviors and Attitudes in Youth. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 6(3):179-189, 2000.

Carrabba, J.J., B.A. Talbert, W.E. Field, and R.L. Tormoehlen. Effectiveness of the Indiana 4-H Tractor Program: Alumni Perceptions. Journal of Agricultural Education. 42(3):11-20, 2001.

Kingman, D.M., W.E. Field, and D.E. Maier. Summary of Fatal Entrapments in On-Farm Grain Storage Bins, 1996-1998. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 7(3):169-184, 2001.

Jones, P.J. and W.E. Field. Farm Safety Issues in Old Order Anabaptist Communities: Unique Aspects and Innovative Intervention Strategies. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 8(1):67-81, 2002.

Kingman, D.M., W.E. Field, and G. Deboy. Characterizing and Identifying Contributing Factors to Fatal and Non-fatal Engulfments in On-farm Grain Bins: 1980-2001. Journal of Agromedicine. 9(1):39-63, 2003.

Field, W.E. Breaking New Ground – Assisting Farmers with Disabilities Through the Application of Assistive Technology. Journal of Mine Action. 6(3), 2003.

Ortega, R.R., R.L. Tormoehlen, W.E. Field, M.A. Balschwied, and K.L. Machtmes. Determining Critical Subject Matter Content for a Safety Certification Program for Youth Employed in Agricultural Production. Journal of Agricultural Education. 44(4):67-78, 2003.

Ortega, R.R., R.L. Tormoehlen, and W.E. Field. Analysis and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Computer Assisted Instruction/Multimedia Safety Curriculum for Production Agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. (Accepted 2003).

Kingman, D.M., A. Spaulding, and W.E. Field. Predicting the Potential of Engulfment Utilizing an On-farm Grain Storage Hazard Assessment Tool. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 10(4). 2004.

Beer, S.R. and W.E. Field. Analysis of 674 Agricultural Driveline-related Injuries and Fatalities Occurring Between 1970 and 2003. Journal of Agromedicine. 10(3). 2005.

Jones, P.J. and W.E. Field. Caregiving in the Heartland: Outreach through Innovation and Collaboration. The Journal of Extension. June, 2005.

Kingman, D.M., A.M. Yoder, N.S. Hodge, R.R. Ortega and W.E. Field. Utilizing Expert Panels in Agricultural Safety and Health Research. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 11(1). 2005.

Wilkinson, T.L., S.R. Beer, and W.E. Field. Measurement of Operator Exposure to Power Take-off Driven Augers. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 11(3). 2005.

Kingman, D.M. and W.E. Field. Using Fault Tree Analysis to Identify Contributing Factors to Engulfment in Flowing Grain in On-Farm Grain Bins. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 11(4). 2005.

Beer, S.R., G.R. Deboy, and W.E. Field. Analysis of 151 Agricultural Driveline-related Incidents Resulting in Fatal and Non-fatal Injuries to U.S. Children and Adolescents Under Age 18 From 1970 Through 2004. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 13(2):147-164. 2007.

French, B.F., W.E. Field, and R.L. Tormoehlen. "The Psychometric Properties of the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order Certification Training Program Written Examination." The Journal of Agricultural Education. (accepted)

French, B.F., W.E. Field, and R.L. Tormoehlen. "Proposed Performance Standards for the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order Certification Training Program." Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. (accepted)

Beaver, R.L. and W.E. Field. Summary of Documented Fatalities in Livestock Manure Storage and Handling Facilities – 1975-2004. Journal of Agromedicine. 12(2). 2007.

Guilliam, J.M., P.J. Jones, W.E. Field, D.K. Kraybill, and S. Scott. Farm-related Injuries among Old Order Anabaptist Children: Developing a Baseline from which to Formulate and Assess Future Prevention Strategies. Journal of Agromedicine. 12(3). 2007.

Deboy, G.R., P.J. Jones, W.E. Field, J.M. Metcalf, and R.L. Tormoehlen. Estimating the Prevalence of Disability within the U.S. Farm and Ranch Population. Journal of Agromedicine. 13(3). 2008.

K. Sheldon, G.R. Deboy, W.E. Field, and J. Albright. Bull-related Incidents: Their Prevalence and Nature. Journal of Agromedicine. 14:357-369. 2009.

Last updated: 07-Dec-2011 3:17 PM