A study by the Health and Safety executive (HSE) has revealed that the North-East and Yorkshire are the worst regions in the UK for fatal agricultural accidents.
11 of the UK’s 31 agricultural deaths (35 per cent) that occurred between April 2013 and March 2014 took place in the North-East and Yorkshire.
32 per cent of the agricultural deaths in the region were caused by a moving or overturning vehicle, 23 per cent were caused by an animal, and 16 per cent were due to falls from a height. Four of the five deaths which were caused by falls from a height involved workers falling through fragile roofs.
Tractors were the most common vehicle involved in the reported fatalities; the HSE report references for example, a 78-year-old self-employed man who became trapped between a tractor and its trailer.
Ten of those killed were employees, and 17 were self-employed workers. The figures also included two children who were killed as a result of farming activity.
Other incidents highlighted by the HSE report include the death of a 24-year-old farm worker who was left by the farmer to feed cattle. He was later discovered dead having been electrocuted from a welding kit and extension lead. The case of a 53-year-old employee killed in the North-East was also highlighted – he was struck by a runaway tractor and muck spreader. There were no witnesses to the incident, and he was found later by another employer.
The NFU (National Farmers Union) and the CLA (Country Land, and Business Association) have asked the region’s farmers to change their attitude towards health and safety in farming following the release of the statistics.
The National Farmers Union North East’s regional director Richard Pearson blamed ‘cost-cutting exercises’ for the shocking figures, and asked whether smaller farms with fewer workers were taking on jobs which should be done by outside professionals.
Anthony McCarthy, Director Solicitor at Macks, says, “A farm can be a very dangerous place to work and historically agricultural workers are more likely to suffer serious injury than workers in other sectors. The culture of risk taking in farming needs to change if injuries and deaths are to be reduced.”
Source: The Northern Echo
