Injuries in Agriculture Still Remain High Reports HSE

Earlier this week, the HSE published a report that injuries in agriculture has the worst rate of worker fatal injury in Great Britain. Last year, 21 people were killed, one of whom was a child. Two of the fatalities were in Scotland, however, the North-West of England had the highest death rate with five.

Fatal Injuries in agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Great Britain 2019/20, published to coincide with the start of Farm Safety Week. Established by the Farm Safety Foundation charity – This is to highlight safety and wellbeing in the sector. The HSE statistics confirm that agriculture continues to have the highest rate of
fatal injuries amongst workers; eighteen times higher than the average rate across all industries.

A closer look at the specific injuries in agriculture

The report also reveals that transport-related accidents, such as overturning vehicles or being struck by moving vehicles were responsible for more deaths than any other cause last year. Tractors, a combine harvester, telescopic handlers, an all-terrain utility vehicle, and a boat were all among the causes. The HSE report also informs us that half of the workers killed were 55 years or older. The youngest person killed was a 4-year-old child from Lancashire. The HSE has urged farmers to keep children safe on farms during the Covid-19 restrictions. Children must not be allowed in the farm workplace unless they are very carefully supervised. It is illegal to carry children under 13-years-old in the cab of an agriculture vehicle as it is unsafe.

The BBC has branded agriculture as “The UK’s deadliest industry”. While fatal accidents across other industries have fallen from the past 30 years, fatalities in agriculture continue to remain high. According to the HSE, workers in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector are 20 times more likely to be killed at work.

Unfortunately, older workers are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents, on farms and elsewhere. A representative from the HSE acknowledged that that agriculture is an “industry in which risks are poorly managed”

Why the farming industry still trails behind others for safety

A farmer from Cumbria in an interview with ITV claimed that fatalities happen because they work in “very high-pressure situations with big, scary consequences if things aren’t done right.”
Half of all the fatalities in Britain were in the over 55s. To try and reduce the number of accidents this has been designed as Farm Safety Week.
Your employer’s duty of care is a legal one. If you’ve been injured in your workplace and feel that your employer has failed to carry out to provide you with the correct PPE, you might be eligible to make a claim as a result.

As leading personal injury specialists, we pride ourselves on impeccable customer service and delivering the best results for our clients. Our national network of solicitors understand that compensation is only part of the story. Our experts make sure the victims receive the best support, rehabilitation and medical care possible. If you or anyone you know has been injured as a result of working in the agriculture industry then get in touch with us today.