A new farm safety initiative has launched with the release of eye-catching stickers carrying a simple, yet powerful message for farmers to display.
The National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) is urging the industry to spread the message "I am vital to UK agriculture – stay safe".
Farmers and contractors can place stickers carrying the message in prominent locations, to spark safety awareness and encourage better practices.
It comes as farming continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation, with 27 people losing their lives on farms in Britain in 2023-2024.
The latest figures available by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that agriculture accounts for 17% of all deaths in the workplace.
Looking to improve this, the NAAC's new initiative aims to prompt thoughts on safety measures to help curb accidents from happening.
These include always wearing helmets when riding quad bikes, ensuring PTO guards are in place and switching off machinery before clearing blockages.
According to the NAAC, the "stay safe" message serves as a reminder that everyone plays a vital role in agriculture and should take steps to protect themselves and others.
Jill Hewitt, CEO of the the body, explained the importance of the campaign: “It is all too easy when under pressure to think that health and safety is all about paperwork and hassle.
"However, the number of fatal and serious incidents in farming continues to remain stubbornly high, and the NAAC wants to visually remind everyone to protect themselves and colleagues.
"We urge everyone to use these stickers as a heads up to take that extra time to make sure a job is done safely and get everyone home to their families at the end of the day.”
