The University of Vermont Extension in Burlington recently launched a program to help prevent tractor rollover deaths.
The program, run by the Northeast Center for Agricultural and Occupational Health in Fly Creek, NY, helps farmers identify and price an appropriate rollover kit, which includes a roll bar and safety belt. Farmers also receive reimbursement for 70 percent of the kit’s cost, according to a UVM Extension press release.
Tractor overturns are the leading cause of death for farmers, and statistics show farmers are 800 percent more likely to die while working than other workers, according to the release.
A similar program in New York, also administered by the center, has seen a tenfold increase in tractor rollover protection installation since 2007, UVM Extension said.
