Conference Presentations & Posters
Surveillance presentation
Presented by Dana Madigan, Lee Friedman, Erika Scott, Jocelyn Faydenko, and Linda Forst at the 2024 Conference of the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health
Modeling surveillance presentation
Presented by Dana Madigan at the 2024 Conference of the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health
Surveillance poster
Presented by Dana Madigan, Lee Friedman, Jocelyn Faydenko, and Linda Forst at the 34th International Congress on Occupational Health
Training Materials
Hearing Safety Infographic
Click to view and download this Spanish-language infographic file with hearing safety tips for farmworkers.
Media Coverage
U of I Dissecting Farm Injury Data
FarmWeek talks to Dr. Salah Issa about the Center’s project to improve data tracking of agricultural injuries in Illinois. Data have revealed that a large number of reported fatalities involved tractors.
Academic Publications
Vehicle crash report
The Agricultural Vehicle Crash Surveillance Report summarizes information gathered from police accident reports (PARs; also referred to as police crash reports) reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Illinois Crash Information System (CIS). Starting with data collected in 2018, this report includes common descriptors and reasons for crashes, vehicle-specific data for agricultural vehicles involved in crashes, demographic characteristics of people involved in agricultural-related vehicle crashes, and temporal and spatial patterns using the CIS. Based on this analysis, agricultural-related vehicle crashes are common in Illinois, with reported crashes widely distributed across the state. Most crashes occurred during months when planting (May/June) and harvesting (September to November) occur, demonstrating seasonality in collision incidents. Additionally, workdays saw higher crash totals compared to weekends, with Monday through Wednesday seeing the highest crashes. While the number of agricultural-related crashes accounts for a small subset of the total number of crashes seen in Illinois, these incidents may be underreported, and the severity of these types of crashes may also be greater due to the nature of the vehicles or machinery involved. Therefore, greater surveillance efforts are vital to comprehensively describe agriculture vehicle crash characteristics, including their prevalence and severity.
- From 2018 to 2023, the total number of crashes involving agricultural vehicles decreased from 622 in 2018 to 501 in 2020 and 2023, with a slight increase seen in 2021 (n=518).
- The point of first contact was the front of agricultural vehicles in 12.2% of crash cases compared to 20.8% of non-agricultural vehicles, indicating that many of the collisions involve the agricultural vehicle getting rear-ended by a second vehicle.
The months with the highest instances of crashes were September (10.4%), October (16.3%), November (12.0%), and June (10.8%).
Injury data extraction
This manual is part of a series of guides to find farmworkers in existing health and employment databases in Illinois. Its focus is on injury data. Click the link to view and download this resource.
More academic publications
Issa SF, Issa MS, Nauman E, Wassgren C, Schwab C, Ahsan ZS, Nour M, Field W. Tensile force limits of the sheep spine: Comparison to forces required to extricate grain entrapped victims. J Agromedicine. 2025. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1059924X.2024.2426491
Li S, Raza MMS, Issa, SF. Agricultural injury surveillance in the United States and Canada: A systematic literature review. J Agromedicine. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2024.2304699
Raza MMS, Li S, Issa SF. Global patterns of agricultural machine and equipment injuries – systematic literature review. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2024.2304704
Issa SF. Let’s not forget about safety. Resource Magazine. 2024. https://bt.e-ditionsbyfry.com/publication/?m=23718&i=812273&p=30&ver=html5
Walker J, Forst L, Friedman L. Injuries among Hispanic/Latinx agricultural workers seen in Illinois hospitals. J Agromedicine. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2023.2293826
Shannon B, Jennings W, Friedman L. Systematic scoping review of occupational health injuries and illnesses among indigenous workers. J Occup Environ Med. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2022-108264
Voaklander DC, Rudolphi JM, Berg R, Drul C, Belton KL, Pickett W. Fatal farm injuries to Canadian children. Prev Med. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106233
Forst LS. Tractor rollovers are preventable. Am J Public Health. 2018. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304716
Issa SF, Wassgren C, Schwab CV. Estimating passive stress acting on a grain entrapment victim’s chest. J Agric Saf Health. 2018. https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.12552
Rudolphi JM, Campo S, Gerr F, Rohlman DS. Social and individual influences on tractor operating practices of young adult agricultural workers. J Adolesc Health. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.11.300
Cheng YH, Field WE, Issa SF, Kelley K, Heber M, Turner R. Summary of U.S. injuries and fatalities involving entrapment and suffocation in grain transport vehicles. J Agric Saf Health. 2018. https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.12479
Issa SF, Nour MM, Field WE. Utilization and effectiveness of harnesses and lifelines in grain entrapment incidents: Preliminary analysis. J Agric Saf Health. 2018. https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.12170
Issa SF, Field WE, Schwab CV, Issa FS, Nauman EA. Contributing causes of injury or death in grain entrapment, engulfment, and extrication. J Agromedicine. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2017.1283277
Issa SF, Field WE, Hamm KE, Cheng YH, Roberts MJ, Riedel SM. Summarization of injury and fatality factors involving children and youth in grain storage and handling incidents. J Agric Saf Health. 2016. https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.22.10954
Issa SF, Chng YH, Field WE. Summary of agricultural confined-space related cases: 1964-2013. J Agric Saf Health. 2016. https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.22.10955
Forst L, Friedman L, Chin B, Madigan D. Spatial clustering of occupational injuries in communities. Am J Public Health. 2015. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302595
Tovar-Aguilar JA, Monaghan PF, Bryant CA, Esposito A, Wade M, Ruiz O, McDermott RJ. Improving eye safety in citrus harvest crews through the acceptance of personal protective equipment, community-based participatory research, social marketing, and community health workers. J Agromedicine. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2014.884397
Morera MC, Monaghan PF, Tovar-Aguilar JA, Galindo-Gonzalez S, Roka FM, Asuaje C. Improving health and safety conditions in agriculture through professional training of Florida farm labor supervisors. J Agromedicine. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2014.886318
Monaghan PF, Bryant CA, McDermott RJ, Forst LS, Luque JS, Contreras RB. Adoption of safety eyewear among citrus harvesters in rural Florida. J Immigr Minor Health. 2012. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-011-9484-3
Monaghan PF, Forst LS, Tovar-Aguilar JA, Bryant CA, Israel GD, Galindo-Gonzalez S, Thompson Z, Zhu Y, McDermott RJ. Preventing eye injuries among citrus harvesters: The community health worker model. Am J Public Health. 2011. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300316
Forst L, Avila S, Anozie S, Rubin R. Traumatic occupational injuries in Hispanic and foreign-born workers. Am J Ind Med. 2010. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.20748
Friedman LS, Forst L. Ethnic disparities in traumatic occupational injury. J Occup Environ Med. 2008. https://doi.org/10.1097/jom.0b013e3181617324
Luque JS, Monaghan P, Contreras RB, August E, Baldwin JA, Bryant CA, McDermott RJ. Implementation evaluation of a culturally competent eye injury prevention program for citrus workers in a Florida migrant community. Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1353/cpr.2007.0040
Forst L, Noth IM, Lacey S, Bauer S, Skinner S, Petrea R, Zanoni J. Barriers and benefits of protective eyewear use by Latino farm workers. J Agromedicine. 2006. https://doi.org/10.1300/J096v11n02_04
Lacey SE, Conroy L, Schoonover T, Franke J, Hedeker D, Forst L. Dust emission rates from food processing. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2006. https://www.aaem.pl/DUST-EMISSION-RATES-FROM-FOOD-PROCESSING,90570,0,2.html
Lacey SE, Conroy LM, Forst LS, Franke JE, Wadden RA, Hedeker DR. Personal dust exposures at a food processing facility. J Agromedicine. 2006. https://doi.org/10.1300/J096v11n01_06
Forst L, Lacey S, Chen HY, Jimenez R, Bauer S, Skinner S, Alvarado R, Nickels L, Zanoni J, Petrea R, Conroy L. Effectiveness of community health workers for promoting use of safety eyewear by Latino farm workers. Am J Ind Med. 2004. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.20103
Flocks J, Clarke L, Albrecht S, Bryant C, Monaghan P, Baker H. Implementing a community-based social marketing project to improve agricultural worker health. Environ Health Perspect. 2001. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.01109s3461
External Training Resources
| Esp. | Main Topic | Main Audience | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | Air quality | Workers | Breathe Better With an N-95 Respirator (Eng / Esp) | Handout |
| ✔ | Air quality | Workers | Breathe Easy: Protect Yourself from Wildland Fire Smoke (Eng / Esp) | Handout |
| ✔ | Air quality | Workers | What Agricultural Workers Need to Know About Wildfire Smoke (Eng / Esp) | Video |
| ✔ | Air quality | Workers | How to Build a Low-Cost Air Filter (Eng / Esp) | Poster/flyer |
| ✔ | Air quality | Workers | Wildfire Smoke Training Poster (Eng / Esp) | Poster/flyer |
| ✔ | Air quality | Facilitators | Wildfire Smoke Exposure (Eng / Esp) | Curriculum |
| Air quality | Workers | Respirator Storage (Eng) | Video | |
| Air quality | Supervisors | Respirator Selection Quick Reference Guide (Eng) | Handout | |
| Air quality | Workers | It's Not Just Dust (Eng) | Booklet | |
| Air quality | Supervisors | Respirator Fit Test Capacity Building Guide (Eng) | Booklet | |
| Air quality | Supervisors | Save Your Breath: Respiratory Health in Agriculture (Eng) | Booklet | |
| Air quality | Facilitators | Respiratory Health Training Guide (Eng) | Flipcharts | |
| Air quality | Supervisors | Agricultural Respirator Selection Guide (Eng) | Handout | |
| Air quality | Supervisors | Gas Monitors for Agriculture (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Air quality | Workers | It's Not Just Dust (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Air quality | Workers | Knowing the Difference: Fit Test vs. User Seal Check (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Air quality | Workers | Which Respirator is Right for the Farm Work You Do? (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Air quality | Workers | Respiratory Protection Video Series (Eng) | Video | |
| ✔ | Bunk silos | Workers | Bunk Silo Safety (Eng / Esp) | Poster/ flyer |
| ✔ | Chemicals | Facilitators | Chemical Hazard Communication (Eng / Esp) | Flipcharts |
| Chemicals | Workers | Farm Chemical & Pesticide Safety (Eng) | Handout | |
| Chemicals | Workers | Farm Safety - Chemical Safety (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Cold weather | Workers | Cold Weather Hazards (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Cold weather | Workers | Winter Hazards: Staying Safe in Icy Conditions (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Cold weather | Workers | Cold Weather Safety (Eng) | Handout | |
| ✔ | Ergonomics | Workers | Key Harvesting Safety Practices (Eng / Esp) | Handout |
| Ergonomics | Workers | Ergonomics on the Farm (Eng) | Handout | |
| Eye protection | Workers | Eye Protection for Ag Workers (Eng) | Handout | |
| First Aid | Supervisors | Checklist: Make Your Own Farm First Aid Kit (Eng) | Checklist | |
| First Aid | Supervisors | Farm First Aid: When You Are the First Responder (Eng) | Booklet | |
| First Aid | Supervisors | Farmer's First Aid: What's in Your Toolbox? (Eng) | Booklet | |
| First Aid | Facilitators | Agricultural Injury Preparedness: How to Stop the Bleed Until Help Arrives (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| First Aid | Workers | First Aid on the Farm: Blood Loss (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| ✔ | General safety | Supervisors | Top 3 Ways to Identify Hazards in the Workplace (Eng / Esp) | Blog |
| ✔ | General safety | Workers | Safety in Words Picture Dictionary for Agriculture (Eng / Esp) | Handout |
| ✔ | General safety | Workers | English/Spanish Pictograms (Eng / Esp) | Poster/flyer |
| ✔ | General safety | Workers | Reality Tales – Injury and Illness on the Farm (Eng / Esp) | Audio |
| General safety | Supervisors | Farm Safety Check (Eng) | Checklist | |
| General safety | Facilitators | NYCAMH Farmworker Clinical Care Resource for Occupational Health (Eng) | Video | |
| General safety | Facilitators | OSHA/Safety Jeopardy (Eng) | Game | |
| General safety | Supervisors | AgSafety4u Certificate Course (Eng) | Online course | |
| Grain handling | Supervisors | Grain Bin Rescue (Eng) | Video | |
| ✔ | Grain handling | Facilitators | Grain Bin Entry and Lifeline Demonstration (Eng / Esp) | Curriculum |
| Grain handling | Facilitators | Entanglement Hazards and Guarding (Eng) | PowerPoint | |
| Grain handling | Supervisors | Overview of Grain Handling and Storage Safety (Eng) | Online course | |
| Grain handling | Facilitators | Lifeline System for Bin Entry (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Grain handling | Facilitators | Lock Out/Tag Out Mini Module (Eng) | PowerPoint | |
| Grain handling | Facilitators | Overview: Safe Handling and Storage of Grain (Eng) | PowerPoint | |
| Grain handling | Facilitators | Preventive Maintenance for Bucket Elevators (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Grain handling | Workers | Safety and Grain Quality Management (Eng) | Video | |
| Grain handling | Workers | Harvest Tips: Clean Inside Bins (Eng) | Checklist | |
| Grain handling | Workers | Grain Dust Warning (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Grain handling | Workers | Grain Safety Video Series (Eng) | Video | |
| Grain handling | Workers | Harvest Tips: Prepare Bins (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Grain handling | Workers | Harvest Tips: Apply Insecticide to Grain Bins (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| ✔ | Hearing | Workers | How Loud is Too Loud? (Eng / Esp) | Poster/ flyer |
| ✔ | Hearing | Workers | Hearing Protection: What Type is Best for You? (Eng / Esp) | Handout |
| ✔ | Hearing | Workers | What Do You Have to Lose? Effects of Hearing Damage (Eng / Esp) | Poster/ flyer |
| ✔ | Hearing | Workers | NIOSH Sound Level Meter App (Eng / Esp) | App |
| Hearing | Workers | Hearing Loss Among Farmers (Eng) | Bookmark | |
| Hearing | Facilitators | Hearing Loss Prevention Training Kit (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Hearing | Workers | Your Ears are Just as Important as These Ears (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Hearing | Workers | Hearing Safety: How Loud is too Loud? (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Hearing | Workers | Hearing Protection Video Series (Eng) | Video | |
| ✔ | Ladders | Workers | Ladder Injuries Video Series (Eng / Esp) | Video |
| Lifting/ carrying | Facilitators | Ergonomics and the Farm (Eng) | PowerPoint | |
| Lifting/ carrying | Workers | Safe Lifting and Carrying (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Dairy Safety Training Video Series (Eng / Esp) | Video |
| ✔ | Livestock | Facilitators | Dairy Safety Training Guide (Eng / Esp) | Curriculum |
| Livestock | Supervisors | Livestock Handling Safety Checklist (Eng) | Checklist | |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Happy Cows, Safe Workers (Eng / Esp) | Comic/ fotonovela |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Farm Worker Sow Behavior Safety Tips (Eng / Esp) | Video |
| ✔ | Livestock | Facilitators | Immigrant Dairy Worker Health and Safety (Eng / Esp) | Curriculum |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Needle Safety (Eng / Esp) | Poster/ flyer |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Safe Dairy Practices (Eng / Esp) | Video |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Working with Farm Animals: Keeping Yourself, Your Family, and Your Community Healthy (Eng / Esp) | Comic/ fotonovela |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Picture Dictionary for Feedlot Operations (Eng / Esp) | Booklet |
| ✔ | Livestock | Facilitators | Dairy Safety Toolkit (Eng / Esp) | Curriculum |
| ✔ | Livestock | Workers | Dairy Farming Hygiene & Health (Eng / Esp) | Handout |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Animal Handling Training Guides: Dairy (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Animal Handling Training Guides: Swine (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Gas Monitor Training Kit With Train-the-Trainer Component (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Livestock | Supervisors | Foaming Manure Pit Dangers (Eng) | Handout | |
| Livestock | Supervisors | Improving Swine Barn Air Quality (Eng) | Brochure | |
| Livestock | Workers | Stay Healthy Working with Animals (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Livestock | Workers | Your Work, Your Health: Worker Exposure in Swine Barns (Eng) | Brochure | |
| Livestock | Supervisors | Manure Storage Pit Dangers: Identifying Hazardous Gases (Eng) | Booklet | |
| Livestock | Supervisors | Safe Livestock Handling Checklist (Eng) | Checklist | |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Bison Handler Tailgate Training Safety Manual (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Feedyard 15 Program (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Right From The Start Video Series Accompaniment (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Livestock | Supervisors | Dairy Safety Toolkit: Conducting a Safety Meeting (Eng) | Handout | |
| Livestock | Workers | Hazards to Confinement Animal Workers (Eng) | Handout | |
| Livestock | Workers | Safe Livestock Handling (Eng) | Handout | |
| Livestock | Workers | Women's Reproductive Health: Beef Cattle Handling Exposures (Eng) | Handout | |
| Livestock | Workers | Chute Safety on the Ranch (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Livestock | Workers | Stay Calm, Stay Aware (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Dairy Safety Training Materials (Eng) | Resource list | |
| Livestock | Workers | Livestock Handling 360 Video (Eng) | Video | |
| Livestock | Facilitators | Right From The Start Video Series (Eng) | Video | |
| ✔ | Vehicles | Facilitators | Agricultural Tractor Safety Training (Eng / Esp) | Flipcharts |
| ✔ | Vehicles | Workers | Basic Tractor Operations (Eng / Esp) | Poster/ flyer |
| ✔ | Vehicles | Workers | Whole Body Vibration (Eng / Esp) | Poster/ flyer |
| ✔ | Vehicles | Workers | Tractor Safety Basics (Eng / Esp) | Video |
| Vehicles | Facilitators | Rural Roadway Safety Training Kit (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Safer Riding on ATVs in Agriculture (Eng) | Video | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Skid Steer Safety (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Tractor Safety (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Tractor Safety: How to Prevent Injuries (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Tractor-Related Injuries (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Traffic Safety (Eng) | Poster/ flyer | |
| Vehicles | Facilitators | Vehicle Safety Training Curriculum (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Vehicles | Supervisors | ATV Safety Checklist (Eng) | Checklist | |
| Vehicles | Supervisors | Rural Roadway Safety Checklist (Eng) | Checklist | |
| Vehicles | Supervisors | Tractor & Machinery Safety Checklist (Eng) | Checklist | |
| Vehicles | Facilitators | ATV Aware Curriculum Facilitator Guide (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Vehicles | Facilitators | Tabletop ATV Safety Demonstration Supplies & Key Discussion Points (Eng) | Curriculum | |
| Vehicles | Supervisors | All-Terrain Vehicle Hazards during Farm Work (Eng) | Handout | |
| Vehicles | Supervisors | ATV/Quads/4 Wheelers on the Farm: Safety Tips (Eng) | Handout | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Farm Machinery Safety (Eng) | Handout | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Safe Rural Roads (Eng) | Handout | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Tractor Safety (Eng) | Handout | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Tractor Safety: 10 Tips to Prevent Tractor Tragedies (Eng) | Poster/flyer | |
| Vehicles | Workers | Roadway Safety Video Series (Eng) | Video |
