Call for change to cut farming deaths
A call has gone out to those working in agriculture to make a real change, following the increasing number of farmers and farm workers killed at work over the past year.
This year, 39 farmers, farm workers and members of the public lost their lives on farms in Great Britain.
Despite increased awareness of the issue, farming still has the highest rate of fatal injury of all the main industry sectors, around 18 times as high as the all industry rate, accounting for more than 22 per cent of all workplace fatalities. To mark Farm Safety Week, which starts today, the Health and Safety Executive has released its latest Fatal Injuries in Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing for Great Britain 2018/2019 report.
The new HSE stats for 2018/19 reveal that over a third of all agricultural fatalities recorded in the report were as a result of moving vehicles, followed by animals and falls. The ages of those suffering fatal injuries is also alarming – eight people were over the age of 65, while two of those killed were children. Despite the work being done to improve the industry, agriculture continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK.
Now in its seventh year, Farm Safety Week will bring together five countries over five days with one goal – to inspire farmers to look after their physical and mental wellbeing and reduce accidents on our farms.
This year’s Farm Safety Week will concentrate on making a real change, bringing the focus back to farmers, farm workers and those living and working in rural communities to deliver real stories, inspiration and messages directly to them.
Andrew Turner, head of agriculture at the HSE, said: “Agriculture is a critical part of our economy. But every year we have to report that agriculture has the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK. This is made even more tragic by the fact that the deaths and injuries are avoidable. The precautions to prevent people being killed and maimed on farms are well known and can be easily applied.”
Stephanie Berkeley who manages the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “Farming, as an industry, is vital to the UK economy – it is the bedrock of our food and drink industry. On a farm, as with any business, the number one resource is the people so why do farmers still give more attention to their livestock, crops and machinery than to themselves and their own wellbeing?
