Chronic musculoskeletal symptoms are commonly found among workers. Direct contact with plants and chemicals can lead to some workers having allergic reactions. According National Center for Farmworkers Health, "Agriculture is frequently ranked as one of the most dangerous industries in the nation" (Saltz et.at, 3). The death rate is extremely high with 780 deaths in 2000, "The only industry that had more deaths was construction, with 1,220.1" (Hanson, Donohoe 3). The poor working conditions leads to the farmworkers having higher injury and death rates. Workers are also likely to get health illnesses. It was found that: "Migrant workers have increased hospitalization rates and mortality from common conditions (e.g., pneumonia mortality may be up to 200 percent higher than the national average)" (Hanson, Donohoe 8). A lot of the illnesses workers catch are from the exposure to pesticides. .
Migrant workers suffer from the highest rates of toxic chemical injuries of any group of workers in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that ,"300,000 farmworkers suffer acute pesticide poisoning each year" (Hanson, Donohoe 5). Pesticide poisoning may occur from direct contact from spraying, residue on crops, wind blowing the pesticides, drinking contaminated water or transfer of residues from hands on to food. A focus group based research study discovered that, "Farmworkers often lack access to basic information about pesticides applied at their worksites"(Flocks et.al, 1). The study further explained, "Most of the time, farmworkers did not know when or where pesticides were applied at their worksites" (Flocks et.al, 10). The lack of knowledge farmworkers have about pesticides is a leading cause for them getting pesticide related illnesses. Long term exposure to pesticides may cause, "Cancers, degenerative neurologic diseases, and altered immune response" (McCauley et.
