Today marks the start of the fourth annual Farm Safety Week, an initiative launched in 2013 to reduce the number of accidents which continue to give agriculture the poorest record of any occupation in the UK and Ireland.
From quad bike accidents to animal attacks, farming kills and injures more people than any other industry in the UK and Ireland – Farm Safety Week (4-8 July) offers five days of themed practical advice and guidance, day three of which will see the announcement of the latest HSE annual workplace fatality statistics for Great Britain 2015/2016.
Last year, 33 fatal injuries to agricultural workers were recorded – a rate of 9.12 deaths per 100,000 workers, which is significantly higher than any other industry sector – six times higher than construction (1.62 / 100,000).
“These are not just statistics,” said the HSE’s Rick Brunt.
“Behind each story is a grieving family, a community in shock, and a farm that needs to continue being farmed no matter what has happened. This year, Farm Safety Week is focusing on the power of the positive. We know that we need to engage with farmers of all ages to make farms safer places to work.”
“We’re encouraging everyone in the industry to see health and safety as an integral part of their business.
“On a farm, as with any business, the number one resource is the people. A farm accident – whether fatal or causing serious trauma – can have awful, potentially lifelong consequences for a business, not to mention family and sadly, deaths or injuries occurring on a farm are preventable more often than not.
“As someone who looks after Agriculture for HSE, I see the importance of farm safety first hand. Injuries on the farm happen much more often than they should. We need to work together so that farm safety is acknowledged as important and change ensues.”
