Work accidents involving tractor-implement systems in farms of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

摘要

> size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The objective of this work was to determine generic and specific causes of work accidents involving tractor-implement systems, to help taking more effective prevetion measures. The research was carried out in twenty-one municipal districts belonging to three regions of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil: Santa Maria, Restinga Seca e Cachoeira do Sul. 114 farms were randomly sampled in these regions, in which 141 operators were evaluated. The accidents analyzed were both te ones that occurred with the owner or employees of the same farm and the ones that occured with operators not belonging that farm - but whose cases were known by the interwiees - 82% of the work accidents involving tractor-implement systems were caused by unsafe actions and 18% by unsafe conditions. The most important specific causes of accidents occurred in the sampled farms were tractor operation on bent grounds, giving to somebody a lift and excessive consumption of alcohol. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that measures taken to prevent work accidents with tractor-implement systems must priorize the especific causes detected in this research.