Farmers should remain vigilant as death toll falls

British Farmers should remain vigilant and should not relax safety standards following the release of official figures revealing a drop in the number of agricultural work-related fatal injuries.

Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showed that 21 people were killed in the agriculture sector in 2022/23 – two fewer than last year.

However, agriculture remains a dangerous industry to work in, coming second only to construction in the number of fatal injuries between April 2022 and March 2023.

A third of all fatal injuries in agriculture were caused by people coming into contact with cattle. This was followed by being struck by an object/falling from height, contact with machinery/contact with a stationary or fixed object, and contact with a moving vehicle/being trapped by something collapsing.

Over the last five years, 64 per cent of all fatalities in the sector involved the self-employed. This suggests that although employers may be conscientious about health and safety measures and training for their staff, they are not giving their own personal safety enough attention.

The ‘cost-of-business’ crisis is putting a lot of pressure on the agricultural industry, and there could be a danger that in order to make savings, or to save time, some people may be tempted to take risks. This could leave families devastated, and businesses ruined.

While it is true that some fatalities can be attributed to freak accidents, others could be avoided by adopting a more rigorous approach to safety.

This includes ensuring risk assessments are thorough, all appropriate training is undertaken, and safety policies are implemented.