E-Insight

October 2003

High Plains Center Receives CDC Funding to Continue Mission

The High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (HI-CAHS) has received a $2.5 million, three-year grant to support research, intervention and education focused on reducing and ideally eliminating accidents, injuries, diseases and deaths resulting from agricultural operations.

HI-CAHS, based out of the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, was awarded the grant by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a non-enforcement research and service arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HI-CAHS, established in 1991, is a multi-disciplinary organization with input from a variety of areas including engineering, industrial hygiene, education, toxicology, social work, epidemiology, environmental health, and agricultural sciences. The HI-CAHS center is one of 10 national centers dedicated to agricultural health and safety.

"This grant, which was awarded on a competitive basis, will be funding a number of new initiatives at HI-CAHS, enabling us to take a comprehensive approach to solve and prevent injuries, illness and fatalities in the agricultural industry in Federal Region VIII and nationwide," said Dr. Steve Reynolds, principal investigator on the grant and a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences. "HI-CAHS was one of the first national centers funded in 1991 as part of a new initiative to improve agricultural safety, so we are very pleased to be able to continue and expand upon this important work with new funding."

Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States, based on NIOSH statistics. In a typical year, approximately 800 individuals lose their lives while working in U.S. agriculture. An additional 150,000 people suffer debilitating injuries and illnesses, and a large number of deaths due to occupational disease go unreported. Alarmingly, large numbers of farm accidents involve children. All of these deaths and disabilities greatly affect the social and economic well-being of rural communities nationwide.

To address these concerns, HI-CAHS has nine new research, outreach and education programs funded with the NIOSH grant. These are structured within four core areas, including an overall administrative core.

1. Administrative Core

2. Prevention/Intervention Core

   • ROPS (rollover protective structures) Design and Testing for Agricultural Vehicles; Dr. Paul Ayers, principal investigator (formerly of Colorado State now at the University of Tennessee).

   • Reduction of Exposures from Dairies and Cattle Feedlots; Dr. Reynolds, principal investigator.

3. Education/Outreach Core

   • Agricultural Health and Safety Curriculum Evaluation; Dr. Bob Seiz, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, principal investigator.

   • Interactive Agricultural Health and Safety CD: 4-H Youth; Dr. Vicki Buchan, Professor, School of Social Work, principal investigator.

   • Regional Education Through State Extension Agents: Dr. Philip Bigelow, Faculty Affiliate, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, principal investigator.

4. Research Core

   • Development of Novel Biomarkers for Pesticides; Dr. John Tessari, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, principal investigator.

   • Endotoxin and Genetics in Organic Dust Lung Disease; Dr. Reynolds, principal investigator.

   • Improved Methods of Obtaining Injury Information from Migrant Farm Workers; Drs. Bigelow and Lorann Stallones, Professor, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, co-principal investigators.

For additional information on HI-CAHS, visit their web site at: www.hicahs.colostate.edu.