sobering thought

[balper]

It might also have something to do with overall number. i.e. there are more Farmers than Policemen... Let say that in each and every profession there is an x percentage of suicidal subjects and the average is 2% (just an example) then you would have more suicides in a larger number of subjects compared to a bunch with a smaller number. Briefly; 1 in 3 farmers makes a larger number than 1 in 3 policemen.
I'm just saying maybe...
Be careful out there, and watch the eyes and fingers.

 

[Soundguy]

You can get killed alot of ways on a farm, and not all of them include tractors.

My DR keeps reminding me that the last 4 times I have been in to see him that it has been for farming related accidents.. ( mostly xrays and foreign object removal.. etc.. )

Soundguy

 

[N80]

From my (very) limited experience with farmers, animal related injuries are higher than machinery related injuries...but my experience is primarily with cattlemen. I know some soybean and tobacco farmers and they've had no animal related injuries.

I do remember an old man down the road from my cabin who put his hand in a clogged baler and ended up with what we call a 'de-gloving' injury....peeled the skin off his hand like a glove. After multiple grafts and hospital stays he recovered.

I've done a few dangerous jobs in my time, including telephone lineman, but when I'm helping my B-I-L on his ranch I am aware of more dangers around me than in other work I've done. But some of that might have to do with being 19 when I was a lineman and 43 when helping on the farm.

Edit: I'd like to see stats comparing people like me who own tractors vs people like me who don't own tractors in regard to injury rates.

 

[IH3444]

N80 struck an important chord about being around machinery. I relate it to motorcycles. Seems that people who grew up with motorbikes, from minibikes, to motorcycles have fewer accidents, especially fatal ones, when compare to people who are in their 40's and above, who just bought the big Harley, or first Japanese two wheeled rocket sled......I've heard that there is not substitute for experience, let's be careful out there! Think first,

 

[Walt Richardson]

I grew up on the "Farm". My best friends Father died 5 years ago bush hogging a pasture he had been mowing for 40 years. Farming is extremely dangerous regardless of hours or statistics. If you do the research, you will probably find many professions more dangerous than police and firemen. They just get the publicity.

 

[IH3444]

Heart attack? Mini stroke? What did he die of? Fall off the tractor and get chomped up by the bushhog?

 

[Egon]

To properly certify a farmer in all aspects of the work he must do on the farm he would spend all his time at certification with upgrades and renewal certificates. He'd never get to see the farm!

 

[N80]

Reminds me of a joke. How many successful jumps do you need to certify as a sky diving instructor?

All of them.

 

[JayDavis]

I can believe farmers and related occupations have a high injury/death rate. Where else can in the morning you be running cattle through a corral to load to take to sale. About noon, doing work with a tractor attaching implements, using them, putting out 6x6 hay bales for the cattle. Afternoon cutting down trees with a chainsaw along a fence line, cutting them up and piling them. Clearing smaller stuff with a machete. Working with barb wire and tensioning large spans, splicing breaks.

There are plenty of opportunities for injuries. This by the way was my day.

 

[davemhughes]

N80 struck an important chord about being around machinery. I relate it to motorcycles. Seems that people who grew up with motorbikes, from minibikes, to motorcycles have fewer accidents, especially fatal ones, when compare to people who are in their 40's and above, who just bought the big Harley, or first Japanese two wheeled rocket sled......I've heard that there is not substitute for experience, let's be careful out there! Think first,

Very true....been riding 26 years. Never been down and I usually put around 20-30k miles on my harleys every year. My neighbor 50 bought a harley 2 years ago....been down 3 times. I always tell myself something in the back of my mind when I climb on. Its not an if issue but a when and how bad issue, but its not going to be today.

Tractors and motorcycles are very simular.....they want to kill you.