Ricerc@Sapienza

Feature at a glance: Although a lack of safety features is often reported as the most important factor in tractor accidents, an accident per se is the outcome of many elements, including the amount of attentional control operators exert over the driving task. The lack of active attentional control is sometimes referred as “absentmindedness,” and many studies have investigated this phenomenon as the expression of individual differences.

Recently, standards and regulations concerning occupational safety have become more and more rigorous. Nevertheless, the number of accidents and victims has not decreased significantly, as reported by official statistics. In Italy, the agricultural sector is certainly one of the most affected by this situation, especially taking into account the occurrence of serious injuries and fatalities related to the use of tractors. The main reasons for such a situation can be ascribed to the peculiarities of agricultural operations.

The use of pesticides in agriculture is a significant problem at a global level, not only from an environmental perspective but also from the farmers’ health and safety point of view. In the literature, several studies have discussed the safe behavior and risk perception of farmers. However, human errors when dealing with pesticides and the related work equipment are rarely considered. To reduce this research gap, a study of the human safety errors in pesticide use based on hierarchical task analysis is proposed.