New Technologies and Worker Safety in Western Agriculture

ABSTRACT

The New Paths: Health and Safety in Western Agriculture conference, November 11–13, 2008, highlighted the role of technological innovation in agricultural production. The tree fruit industry in the Pacific Northwest has adopted a “technology road map” to reduce production costs and improve efficiency. An agricultural tour provided field demonstrations and discussions on such topics as mobile work platforms in orchards, traumatic and musculoskeletal injuries, and new pest control technologies. Occupational safety and health research will need to adapt to and keep pace with rapid changes in agricultural production processes.

KEYWORDS:

• Agricultural production
• integrated pest management
• mobile platforms
• technological innovation
• technology road map
• worker health and safety

The efforts of Marc Beaudreau, Jay Brunner, Marcy Harrington, Stacey Holland, Matthew Keifer, Peter Johnson, Karen Lewis, Helen Murphy, and Robin Russell were greatly appreciated in making this tour possible; special thanks to Del Fiegal and Auvil Fruit Company for hosting the agricultural tour.