Digital record‑keeping has turned every accident report into a bite‑sized case study. Between January and early August 2025, growers across fruit, berry, hop, and vegetable operations logged their accidents in Harvust's built-in OSHA 300 compliant accident log. I fully anonymized the data and conducted an analysis, allowing you to see the risks the industry faces and learn how to prevent similar issues on your farm.
Where injuries are happening on the farm
In the field (≈65 %)
Most injuries took place while employees were deep in a block e.g. Field #2, Ranch 1, Block 3C, and similar names pop up again and again. Terrain quirks (holes, loose fruit, broken infrastructure, etc.) and ladder use make these hot zones.
Processing & cooling areas (≈20 %)
Hydro-coolers, processing facilities, warehouses, and wash stations mix slick floors with heavy pallet movement. Foot slips often result in ankle bruises or sprains.
Thresholds & transition spots (≈10 %)
Outside shop doors, pump stations, lunch‑room exits - the places where footing changes and workers are often carrying tools. Several incidents happened within 20 feet of a doorway. More on these "transitional" injuries later...
On or/in machinery (remaining cases)
Tractors, machine harvesters, bin‑trailer rails, truck beds. Stability drops sharply once the machine starts moving, and even just vibrations at idle cause people to lose balance.
What farmworkers were doing just before things went south
The accidents are clustering around routine, repetitive jobs rather than one-off "high-risk" projects. That points to ergonomic and situational-awareness gaps more than to rare technical failures.
- Chopping or cutting vegetation (≈25 %): weeds with machetes, hop bines, sucker removal.
- Harvesting and stacking (≈20 %): cherries, apples, raspberries, strawberries.
- Short moves like walking, turning, carrying (≈15 %): transitions between tasks.
- Repairing or cleaning gear (≈10 %): sprinkler heads, harvester belts, bin trailers.
- Everything else (≈30 %): pruning, training vines, scouting, hose dragging, and even tending calves.
A surprising share of entries describe a micro-task just after the primary job was finished:
- "…was walking the bucket to the bin"
- "…was turning around to go to work, stepped in the ditch"
- "…stood up under the machine and hit his head"
Workers get hurt between core tasks, like when relocating, picking up a tool, or stepping off a ladder. This reminds us that the in‑between moves deserve as much training as the core task.
How the injury happened
Slipped, missed, tripped, fell, jumped (≈50 %)- those actions dominate more than half of the accidents.
Typical incidents:
- Stepped on hidden holes, wet mud, trailing hoses, and flat jack handles.
- Ladder poles or whole ladders slid, tipped, or broke.
Most incidents are plain "loss-of-balance" events, not equipment malfunctions. Focus your ladder safety training on climbing and dismounting safely. Check out Harvust's free training library for that training and more.
Struck‑by or struck‑against (≈30 %)
Falling flats, tote flaps, etc.. Even light objects gain damaging force when dropped from a height. This also includes being crushed against something like a railing or a flying object ejected from a machine.
Sharp‑tool cuts (≈15 %)
All self-inflicted, like machete wounds to shins or knees, knife slips, or wire‑crimper strikes. Lower‑leg PPE was missing in all machete cases. These incidents consistently combine repetitive work + fatigue, plus no guarding.
Everything else (≈5 %)
Vehicle collisions, snake bites, chemical splashes, and bee stings; rare but eye‑opening reminders of non‑routine hazards.
How the farmworker was hurt
Lower limbs (30 %) - ankle twists, shin cuts, foot bruises.
Eyes (20 %) - Dust, plastic heads, bamboo, bottles, or spray reach the eye in many cases. Many lines literally end with "…and got something in my eye". Goggles or shields are either absent or ineffective when bending, stooping, or looking up.
Head & face (15 %) - contusions from ladder falls or falling objects.
Back & torso (15 %) - strains while lifting or awkwardly twisting.
Hands & fingers (10 %) - knife slips, pinch points, infection.
Miscellaneous (5 %) - insect bites, chemical burns, heat stress.
Over 50% of 2025 farm injuries cluster in the lower extremities and eyes; focus your PPE efforts there. Goggles and cut‑resistant gaiters cost far less than one ER visit.
How to get these insights for your farm
Give Harvust a try! Our accident log is designed specifically for agricultural employers, helping you automate your farm's safety program. This ensures compliance and safeguards your business.
