Consequences of Tractor Accidents Involving Older Farmer Population in the Agriculture of the Repuplic of Macedonia

Abstract

In agricultural production of the Republic of Macedonia, during the usage of tractors in the field or in public transportation, a large number of accidents occurs. These accidents often have heavy bodily injuries and tragic outcomes as consequences for the participants. Gathered data notes that injuries involving tractors, related to farmers older than 59 years of age, have an increased frequency. Older farmer population also has an increased percentage of injuries with tragic outcomes. During the period of the research, from 1999 to 2003, there has been a total of 101 tragic deaths in the Republic of Macedonia, 57 (or 56.44%) of which in traffic accidents and 44 (or 43.56%) in accidents involving tractor usage under agriculture circumstances. These accidents included the tragic deaths of 13 farmers aged 55 to 65 (or 15.29% of the total number of deaths), and 14 farmers older than 65 (or 16.47%). It should be noted that the most common causes that influence the increased number of tragic accidents involving older farmer population are their reduced perceptive, mental and physical abilities, which greatly effect the safety during work.

U poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji u eksploataciji traktora na njivi ili u javnom saobraćaju u R. Makedoniji, javlja se veliki broj nesreća, kada učesnici najčešće, kao posledice, imaju teške telesne povrede, ili su to tragične posledice. Podaci iz literature pokazuju da povrede na traktorima, koje su vezane za godine starosti farmera iznad 59 godina starosti, imaju povećanu frekvenciju. Starija populacija farmera ima i veći procenat povreda sa tragičnim posledicama. U periodu istraživanja od 1999. do 2003. godine u Republici Makedoniji, ukupno je tragično nastradalo 101 osoba, od kojih 57 (56,44%) u saobraćajnim nesrećama i 44 (43,56%) u nesrećama pri radu sa traktorima u poljoprivrednim uslovima. U ovim nesrećama bilo je ukupno tragično nastradalih farmera u starosnoj grupi od 55 do 65 godina, 13 osoba ili 15,29%, i iznad 65 godina 14 osoba, ili 16,47%. Kao najčešći uzrok koji utiče na povećanje broja tragičnih slučajeva kod starije populacije farmera, treba navesti, njihove smanjene senzorne i psihomotorne sposobnosti, koje utiču na bezbednost u toku rada.