Occupational Health & Safety Web Pages

Occupational Health and Safety and Farmworkers

Farmworkers face health risks from a myriad of sources at home and on the job. Often the harmful effects of exposure to these conditions are exacerbated by the farmworker’s their injuries or illnesses are exacerbated due to their lack of financial resources, language and cultural barriers, their lack of health insurance, and their limited access to health information or to free or low cost health care services. In this section, we explore these challenges as well as possible solutions and resources for overcoming them. 

In the agriculture workplace unsafe conditions abound, making agriculture one of the three most hazardous industries in the nation. The dangers farmworkers frequently encounter include: transportation in vehicles lacking seats, seat belts or other necessary safety equipment; the use of tractors that do not have rollover protection or unguarded farm machinery; the use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers; work in very hot or cold conditions; unsafe ladders; working in stooped or awkward positions; repetitive motion tasks, excessive hours etc. In addition, most workers get little or no training from their employers, many inexperienced youth are employed in agriculture and most workers are afraid to complain about safety violations for fear of employer retaliation. In the pages on occupational safety, you will find detailed information on fatal and non-fatal workplace injuries, pesticide hazards, child labor and federal laws regulating safety in agriculture.

Separation from family and friends for extended periods, poverty, linguistic, cultural, and geographic isolation, and lack of health information or access to regular health services are some of the factors contributing to farmworkers’ elevated risk for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). In this segment, you will find information on the incidence of HIV/AIDS among farmworkers, factors that put them at risk, effective prevention interventions as well as Farmworker Justice’s programs, services and resources to address these issues. 

Many agricultural workers live in labor camps or overcrowded apartments or motels. Others spend time living in their cars, in tents, in the fields, along river banks or in caves. In such circumstances, they often lack access to potable water or face excessive exposure to dust, pesticides and other contaminants. These living conditions adversely affect the health of farmworkers and their families. For example, living in dilapidated,  overcrowded or substandard conditions puts farmworkers at risk for infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis or hepatitis) as well as illnesses associated with environmental health hazards (e.g., lead or pesticide poisoning, asthma, giardia, etc.). In this section you will find information about FJ’s environmental health program, efforts to combat the use of substandard tents, etc.

Since the 1960’s farmworkers have benefited from access to federally subsidized migrant and community health centers. However, due to limited funding, only about 15% of farmworkers and their family members receive care in these facilities. In addition, even though farmworkers suffer high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses, many states do not require employers to provide agricultural workers with workers compensation coverage to the same extent as other workers. In addition, there is a growing trend for states to reduce or eliminate these benefits to undocumented workers. In these pages, you will find information about migrant clinics and the capacity building assistance that FJ provides to them as well as information about farmworkers’ eligibility for workers compensation benefits.

Farmworker Justice also advocates for policy changes that will improve farmworkers’ health and safety at the state and federal levels. In this section, you will find information about our litigation, advocacy and reports. You will also find information about actions you can take to show your support for improve protections for farmworkers. Finally, this section will provide you with a list of available resources and links to other helpful websites