As combines are rolling across the country’s cereal crops during another exceptionally hot summer, Farm Safety Week 2026 is reminding arable farmers that the biggest risk at harvest is not simply fatal accidents but the life-changing injuries that can affect families and businesses for decades.
The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) says farming continues to have the poorest workplace safety record in Britain after 22 people lost their lives on farms during 2025/26. Yet behind those figures are thousands more farmers and farm workers dealing with serious injuries, many resulting from machinery, vehicles, falls and livestock.
For arable businesses, harvest is one of the most demanding periods of the year. Long working days, pressure to complete operations during favourable weather and high temperatures all increase the risk of fatigue, poor decision-making and accidents.
This year those risks are heightened by the UK’s third official heatwave. Working in direct sunlight for extended periods can lead to dehydration, heat stress and reduced concentration—factors that significantly increase the likelihood of mistakes around combines, grain trailers, tractors, telehandlers and grain handling equipment.
The charity is encouraging farmers to slow down where possible and take practical precautions throughout harvest. Regular breaks, drinking water little and often, wearing suitable clothing and checking colleagues for signs of fatigue can all reduce the likelihood of incidents.
Machinery maintenance also plays a critical role. Harvest dust and crop debris can quickly accumulate around engines, exhaust systems and bearings, increasing the risk of machinery fires. Daily cleaning routines, careful inspection of moving parts and ensuring fire extinguishers are readily available should form part of every harvest routine.
The campaign also reminds farmers not to overlook the cumulative impact of musculoskeletal injuries. Repeated climbing in and out of machinery, lifting heavy objects and carrying out maintenance in awkward positions continue to account for many long-term health problems within agriculture.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, says preventing injury should become as important as preventing fatalities.
“A serious injury can leave someone unable to farm for months or even permanently. That affects not only the individual but also the family and the viability of the farm business.”
As field work gathers pace over the coming weeks, Farm Safety Week serves as a timely reminder that taking a few extra minutes to carry out checks, rest when tired and maintain machinery properly could prevent an incident that changes a life forever.
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