How can Occupational Therapy help Farmers with

Disabilities to Continue to be Successful with

Farming?
Abigail Shamp, OTAS
Northland Community and Technical College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Summary of Key Findings

Through the use of North American
Guidelines for Childrens Agricultural Tasks,
work related childhood agricultural injuries
were reduced (Gadomski et al., 2006).
Primary farm work related injuries were
caused by machines, animals, falls from
high places, and contact with nonliving
objects (Browning et al., 2003).
Hearing loss impacts the quality of life and
the ability to communicate with others
while performing farm tasks (Carruth et al.,
2007).
Physical therapy students investigated the
use of adaptive devices such as, stair
extenders, hand controls, and mechanical
lifts for farm machinery and they found
that by adding these modifications farmers
were able to be independent (Jorge, 2006).
Nursery Industry Ergonomic Modifications:
Top Dressing Fertilizer:
Introduction of the hand fertilizer
trolley allowed the fertilizer load to
be shifted from the farmers shoulders
to the hand trolley, thus relieving upper
and lower back pain (Singh & Arora,
2010).

Clinical Scenario
Agriculture continues to rank as the
most dangerous industry in the
United States, with an accidental
work related death rate six times
that of all other industries
combined (Conway et al., 2007).
More than 30 million Americans are
exposed to hazardous noises on a
regular basis (Carruth et al., 2007).
Each year, it is estimated that there
are approximately 100
unintentional farm related deaths
among children aged 19 years and
younger in the United States
(Browning et al., 2003).
Limitations

Two articles published

prior to 2000
Small sample sizes in
three researched
articles
Biased Interviewees

Bottom Line

Rest periods should be allowed to farm workers

in order to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
Rest pauses for farmers should be 15 minutes
and lunch break s should be more than 45
minutes (Singh & Arora, 2010).
Farmers and families were found to use
hearing protection sporadically (Carruth et al.,
2007). Occupational therapy professionals can
educate farmers and their families on the
importance of wearing hearing protection.
Relatively half of farm related child injuries
could have been prevented (Gadomski et al.,
2006). Occupational therapy professionals can
utilize the North American Guidelines for
Childrens Agricultural Tasks to educate
parents.
The AgrAbility project is aimed at providing
education, assisting with accommodations, and
preventing secondary injuries for farmers with
disabilities (Jorge, 2006). Occupational therapy
practitioners can work with the AgrAbility
project on obtaining resources for adaptive
equipment.
Adjusting production standards and
equipment so it properly fits the farmers body
capacity is an ergonomic intervention
occupational therapy professionals can
implement to reduce postural stress and
musculoskeletal problems (Singh & Arora,