An annual campaign which aims to shine a spotlight on improving the farming industry's often poor record on safety will begin today.
To mark the start of Farm Safety Week (16-20 July), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced its latest annual fatal injuries in its agriculture report 2017/2018, calling the figures "appalling".
29 fatal injuries to agricultural workers were recorded in the report and the sector continues to account for a large share of the annual fatality count (20%).
The figures don't include an additional four members of the public – two of them children – also dying.
Farming has the highest rate of fatal injury of all the main industry sectors, around 18 times as high as the all industry rate.
The report highlights that animals were the main cause of fatal accidents among farm workers, accounting for almost a quarter (24%) of all workplace fatalities.
Other causes included being struck by farm vehicles such as tractors or trailers (18%), trapped by something collapsing (15%) and being struck by objects such as bales and tree branches (12%).
Most of the agricultural fatalities occurred Yorkshire and the Humber (21%), followed by Wales (18%) and Scotland and the South West which each accounted for 15%.
But the Farm Safety Foundation, the organisation behind Farm Safety Week, wishes to do things differently this year when highlighting safety.
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Rather than focusing on agriculture’s poor safety record and stories of things going wrong, Farm Safety Week 2018 will start talking about when things go right, share good practice and demonstrate what ‘good’ looks like.
The Farm Safety Foundation said: "It is a worrying fact that the same accidents are still happening and claiming the lives and limbs of too many of our nation’s farm workers however things are changing.
"Initiatives and training of the next generation of farmers means that tomorrow’s farmers are more aware, more informed and more capable of making educated decisions but awareness is one thing, the time has come for action.
"Hence our new strapline – It’s Your Health. Your Safety. Your Choice."
'Raising awareness'
The campaign commences with the support of the Farm Safety Partnerships, the HSE, HSE for Northern Ireland and the Health & Safety Authority, Ireland.
Offering his support for the campaign, Defra Farming Minister, George Eustice said the initiative is important for raising awareness.
“The farming industry is essential to our national economy – employing more than 340,000 people – and plays a vital role in producing the food that we all know and love,” Mr Eustice said.
“Initiatives, such as Farm Safety Week, are important in raising awareness of good workplace practice, and I encourage farmers across the UK to read this week’s case studies, articles and blogs to help understand how they can stay safe at work.”
Over the course of the week, Farm Safety Foundation will be sharing a series of case studies, articles and guest blogs from England, Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland.
This year, the group will look at child safety on farms, the importance of physical and mental wellbeing in the industry and demonstrate what ‘good’ actually looks like.
For the past five years the Farm Safety Foundation has encouraged farmers to stop and think about safety issues, and has delivered campaigns such as Mind Your Head and Who Would Fill Your Boots?
