Injury Statistics

Agricultural workers continue to have an elevated risk for acute pesticide poisoning. The EPA estimates that 10,000 to 20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide poisonings occur each year among the approximately two million U.S. agricultural employees. One recent study found the acute occupational pesticide poisoning incidence rate among U.S. agricultural employees to be 39 times higher than the rate found in all other industries combined.

Fortunately, the number of states with high rates of acute work-related pesticide poisoning has progressively decreased in recent years. In 2006, ten states had a rate of at least 3.89 acute work-related pesticide poisonings per 100,000 employed people; by 2013, only five states did. With worker training and adherence to safety regulations, this trend can continue. Still, pesticide exposure remains a significant public health issue today.

To learn more about Pesticide Worker Safety visit our Pesticide Worker Safety Online Training web page.