Occupational hazards and injury patterns in the agricultural machinery manufacturing workshops in Bangladesh

Agricultural machinery underpins Bangladesh’s rural transformation but exposes workers to diverse safety risks. Despite expanding demand for equipment, evidence on injury types and the factors associated with accidents in this industry remains limited. This study aims to analyse the occupational hazards and injuries in agricultural machinery manufacturing workshops and to examine demographic characteristics influencing accident occurrence. Primary data were collected from 300 manufacturing workers across 40 industries over 3 months using a structured questionnaire. The study shows that Bangladesh’s agricultural machinery manufacturing workshops are dominated by SMEs employing predominantly young, low-educated male workers who experience frequent accidents, mainly within production areas. Abrasions (45.3%) and hand injuries (30.7%) were the most commonly reported injury types, while most accidents were reported by workers as being associated with fatigue (68.7%) and machine defects (65.7%). The lack of PPE availability and weak enforcement of safety practices remain major concerns, highlighting the urgent need for policy changes, structured safety training, and a stronger safety culture. Improving safety in agricultural machinery factories requires strengthening SME capacity through proper training, inclusive task assignment, regular safety inspections, and consistent implementation of safety practices. Enforcing PPE use, routine machine maintenance, appropriate break schedules, and worker welfare schemes can substantially reduce accident occurrence and support a healthier work environment. Overall, these findings emphasize the need for targeted policies, enhanced safety training, and stronger regulatory oversight to create safer workplaces, offering valuable insights for enforcement bodies, safety professionals, and company management.