Íæż½ã½ã

From the editor: "It is revealed that 34 people lost their lives on UK farms in the past year. That is 34 families whose lives have been changed forever"

This week from head of news and business Alex Black

Alex Black
clock • 2 min read
From the editor: "It is revealed that 34 people lost their lives on UK farms in the past year. That is 34 families whose lives have been changed forever"

The news that once again farming's safety record remains worse than any other industry will come as no surprise.

As the sector marks Farm Safety Week, it is revealed that 34 people lost their lives on UK farms in the past year alone. That is 34 families whose lives have been changed forever.

Two of the four members of the public killed on-farm were children. That figure also does not tell the full story of the near misses or life-changing injuries.

It feels like everyone in agriculture has a tale to tell or knows someone who has had an incident on-farm.

READ NOW: Íæż½ã½ã having 'sleepless nights' due to 'uncertainty'

With long hours over harvest and the pressures farms are facing, from prices not covering costs of production to labour challenges and the mental health crisis in the sector, it is easy to see why it can be tempting to cut corners on health and safety.

And as Joshua Morland says in his article this week, while you may have ‘got away with it' multiple times before, it only takes one occasion for something to go badly wrong.

It feels like every year, when the latest figures are released, the industry says the same thing about how terrible the tragedies are, but the culture change needed still does not come.

While the figure has steadily decreased since the advent of Farm Safety Week, the Farm Safety Foundation has said not only does a transformational change need to come, but it needs to come quickly.

READ NOW: North Yorkshire livestock farm evolves to secure future

Health and safety can often feel like something being imposed, a box-ticking exercise. Many farms will not make a record of ‘near misses'. But noting what happened and why, as well as changing processes, can help avoid that incident.

The figure may unfortunately never reach zero, but whether farmers are taking risks due to complacency, having always done something this way or feeling like there is not enough time to do things the right way, it is time for real change in agriculture. Nothing is more important than you coming home safe.

2006 NEW HOLLAND TS100A

£±Ê°¿´¡

John Deere 6130M TLS

£±Ê°¿´¡

John Deere 6120M TLS

£±Ê°¿´¡

More on Blogs

Emma Gray's farming life: "Frustratingly slaughter does seem to be where the organic system can trip up"

Emma Gray's farming life: "Frustratingly slaughter does seem to be where the organic system can trip up"

In a blog for Íæż½ã½ã, shepherdess and top dog trialler Emma Gray talks organic lamb and the drama at the Scottish National sheepdog trials

clock 24 September 2024 • 2 min read
#OrganicSeptember: Tim May shares his journey from conventional to organic farming

#OrganicSeptember: Tim May shares his journey from conventional to organic farming

'We should not be having a niggle at regen farmers when actually our future growers and our future members are going to come from that pool of people'

clock 22 September 2024 • 3 min read
Sheep farmer James Rebanks turns down Defra role invite: "I cannot be complicit in the breaking of promises to farmers that I strongly believe ought to be kept"

Sheep farmer James Rebanks turns down Defra role invite: "I cannot be complicit in the breaking of promises to farmers that I strongly believe ought to be kept"

Cumbrian sheep farmer and author James Rebanks reflects on his decision to turn down the invite to apply for a non-executive director at Defra

James Rebanks
clock 19 September 2024 • 1 min read