Calls to tackle ‘poor safety record’ of farming as mortality rates persist

According to the latest figures released by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), 42 people lost their lives in farming incidents in the UK and Ireland over the past year, giving agriculture the poorest safety record compared to other sectors where mortality rates have generally decreased.

It has also been revealed that 27 lives were lost on farms in Great Britain compared to 30 last year, with 33% of people killed aged 65 and over. Moreover, 21 of the victims were farm workers while 6 were members of the public, including a child.

The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), the charity behind the annual Farm Safety Week campaign believes that, despite the improvements in attitudes and behaviours in the industry, many of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented.

“The release of this year’s HSE figures serves as a sombre reminder of why Farm Safety Week matters and why we must all do more to address the poor safety record in the industry and make our farms safer places to work and to live,” said Farm Safety Foundation manager Stephanie Berkeley.

She pointed out that although agriculture employs just 1% of the working population in Great Britain, the fatality rate in the sector accounts for 18% of all deaths in the workplace, with an additional 23,000 farm workers suffering long-term damage to their health in the industry each year.

The picture remains similar in Northern Ireland, where farming accounted for 3 of the 8 (38%) reported workplace fatalities in 2022/2023 (HSENI). In the Republic of Ireland, farming – which accounts for 8% of the workforce (according to CSO’s Labour Force Survey) has 40% of all workplace fatal incidents – 12 of the 20 reported in 2022/2023.

Ms Berkeley highlighted the key importance of Farm Safety Week – which is supported by hundreds of farming businesses and organisations across five partner countries – in spreading crucial safety messages and remembering those who have been affected by death and injuries.

“The fact is, every single one of us living and working in the industry needs to step up and take responsibility and challenge and change their attitudes so we can make our farms safer places to work and to live.”

Sue Thompson, head of agriculture at the Health & Safety Executive, commented: “Agriculture is a vital part of the UK economy and it is not acceptable that it continues to fall short when it comes to managing risk in the workplace.

“As an industry we must not tolerate this any longer. We need everyone to play their part to improve the culture and change the poor behaviours we see far too frequently.”