ASSESSMENT OF MAGNITUDE OF AGRICULTURAL ACCIDENTS IN KANGRA DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

R. GUPTA¹*, S. BHARDWAJ², G. SINGH^3
1Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, 176062, Himachal Pradesh, India
²Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, 176062, Himachal Pradesh, India
³Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, 176062, Himachal Pradesh, India
* Corresponding Author : guptaradhna@rediffmail.com

Received : 10-10-2022     Accepted : 28-10-2022     Published : 30-10-2022
Volume : 14     Issue : 10       Pages : 11780 - 11784
Int J Agr Sci 14.10 (2022):11780-11784

Keywords : Agricultural accidents, Injuries, Himachal, Kangra District, Agricultural tools and equipment
Academic Editor : Dr R. S. Umakanth
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, 176062, Himachal Pradesh, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Farm mechanization needs energy, suitable tools and implements along with operators for carrying out different agricultural operations. Agricultural workers constitute one of the important sources of farm power in India as well as in Himachal. Accidents are very common in various agricultural operations due to ignorance, lack of training, lack of knowledge about the operation and improper design of tools and implements. So, the present study was carried out to collect the information on agricultural accidents, severity of injuries and causes for accidents. Data on farm power sources and agricultural machines available in the panchayats revealed that bullock rearing has decreased on account of their high cost of maintenance and limited requirements round the year and tillage is mainly done by power tillers on custom hiring for its convenience and easy portability. Majority of the studied victims (28.97%) were in the age group of more than 60 years followed by 23.87 percentage in age group of 41-50 years. The reported incidents with respect to accidents/injuries from machines total 78 cases out of which 29.49 per cent injuries were from power tiller and 24.30 per cent from sickle/saw/spade and 19.23 per cent from thresher respectively. Rest of the accidents/ injuries were from other sources. Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) of accidents highlighted that 42.06 per cent cases were serious but not life threatening, 28.97% were of moderate scale and 15.48% injuries were life threatening with probability of survival. 8.33% cases were critical with survival probability

1. Khogare D.T. and Borkar S. (2012) Advance Research Journal of Social Science, 3(2), 210-212.
2. Gite L.P., Khadatkar K. and Tyagi K.K. (2010) Farm machinery accidents in Indian agriculture. Conference: Ergonomics for Everyone- Proceedings of International Ergonomics Conference, HWWE 2009, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, 1, 283-290.
3. Dubey A. (2002) J. Agric. Safety & Health, 8(1), 83-94.
4. Mehta A.K. (2004) Survey of agricultural accidents in Rajasthan. Annual report of AICRP on HESA, Udaipur Centre, 12-20.
5. Mohan D. and Patel R. (1992) International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 10(4), 301-309.
6. Gite L.P. and Kot L.S. (2003) Accidents in Indian Agriculture. Technical Bulletin No.
7. CIAE/2003/103, Coordinating Cell, All India Coordinated Research Project on Human Engineering and Safety in Agriculture, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Nabibagh, Bhopal.