Assess risks to make farming safer
Farming has the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK and Ireland
On July 19 the annual HSE report into fatal injuries in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, highlighted that the number of people who lost their lives in agricultural incidents from April 2020 to the end of March 2021 almost doubled to 41, compared to 21 the previous year.
Ahead of harvest, one of the busiest times in the farming calendar, we support the Farm Safety Foundation which has been urging farmers and farm workers to rethink risk.
With long hours, intense physical labour, low pay and at the mercy of the elements, farming is a difficult industry to work in, but still, nearly half a million workers are choosing to be farmers today.
Risk shouldn’t be an inevitable part of the job. By removing or managing risk, farmers can better protect themselves, their families, their employees, and members of the public from potential life-changing injuries. Take the time to assess risks and keep an eye on where family members are.
Let’s hope we can reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on farm this year. Stay safe.
Keith Fowles is the owner of KLF Insurance Brokers.
