Alberto Navarro Munoz was starting his second week at a new job on an Idaho dairy farm. As he was driving a tractor, he tipped over and found himself submerged in a cow-manure pit.
According to a police report, Munoz fell into a “loose thick somewhat liquid-like substance.” A coworker jumped in to try to save Munoz but was unsuccessful.
According to a police report, Munoz fell into a “loose thick somewhat liquid-like substance.” A coworker jumped in to try to save Munoz but was unsuccessful.
Munoz's body was later retrieved by the fire department. The autopsy reported he died of traumatic asphyxiation. He was a Mexican native.
Farm work is dangerous and sometimes fatal. A 2015 report conducted by United States Department of Labor shows that farmers have a higher death rate than other occupations, even police officers.
Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers had exactly 252 fatalities with a 22 percent fatal injury rate, according to the report. Police officers had about 85 fatalities in 2015 with a 11.7 percent fatal injury rate.
The Problem
Bigger farms means more animals, work and workers, which has resulted in farms relying increasingly on immigrant workers.
According to a 2015 study by the University of Idaho, "The Contribution of the Dairy Industry to the Idaho Economy," 85-90 percent of on-dairy jobs jobs are filled by foreign-born labor.
However, the workers often have little to no training or experience with enormous equipment or large numbers of animals.
So who is supposed to keep workers safe?
So who is supposed to keep workers safe?
The United States Department of Labor was established in 1913 when farms were much smaller. Its rules and regulations for the agricultural industry have not been updated to be suitable for big farm businesses. And the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is responsible for worker safety in other occupations, does not track the agricultural industry.
Farms with fewer than 10 workers are not required to report any fatalities or injuries that occur at a work site unless they involve three or more workers.
Farmers with more than 10 workers are required to report an injury or fatality that occurs on their work site. After an incident, employers have eight hours to report the incident if it involves a fatality. But employers have 24 hours to report an inpatient hospitalization, an amputation or loss of eye.
The United States Department of Labor imposes $5,000 fines on business that are involved in manure pond deaths. However, if an incident occurs on a motor vehicle but does not occur on a work site, then the employer is not required to report it. Accidents that occur on a public site, for example accidents on the highway or public street, don't have to be reported.
So, the rates of fatalities and injuries does not count those that have occurred on a farm with less than 10 workers or those that occur outside a construction site.
The Solution
According to a news release by the National Milk Producers Federation, half of dairy farm workers are immigrants and one-third of all U.S. dairy farms employees are foreign-born. The federation says it's pushing for a program that will help ensure an adequate, productive and competitive workforce.
In Idaho, dairy farmers are focusing on implementing new training protocols for Spanish-speaking workers.
A year ago, the Idaho Dairymen’s Association was looking to add a full-time position to administer worker safety training with a salary of at least $55,000. In August, the program officially went live on dairy farms owned by IDA board members.
“We realized we have an opportunity to do more than check a box on safety” and be proactive instead of reactive, Rick Naerebout, director of operations for the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, said at the 2017 Idaho Milk Processors Association annual conference.
To help prevent fatalities or injuries on the job, employers need to make sure their employees are fully trained and adequate to handle heavy machinery prior to being put to work, he said.
“We want a proactive approach to address injuries and fatalities before they happen,” Naerebout said.
-- by Julie Ortega
Photo: Dairy manure pond, Flickr photo
