Safety on farms is being hit by mental wellbeing concerns
A RECENT study by the Farm Safety Foundation has found that mental health issues among farmers and agricultural workers are of growing concern and having a direct impact of safety on farms.
According to the data 88% of farmers under the age of 40 are now ranking poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today. This has increased from 82% in 2018.
In an industry where 20 farm workers lost their lives in fatal farm accidents in 2019/2020, there were a total of 133 suicides registered in England, Wales and Scotland in those working in farming and agricultural related trades, according to the Office of National Statistics and the National Records of Scotland.
These include farmers, managers, and proprietors of ag related services and those working in agricultural related trades and elementary ag occupations.
The farming industry faces many stress factors, which are placing increased pressure on workers and putting them at greater risk of mental ill health.
During the last year, the coronavirus pandemic will have only increased the mental health effects on farmers and could continue long after the virus has gone.
In the study, it was also revealed that 89% of young farmers believe that talking about mental health in farming will remove any stigma attached to it (increased from 80% in 2018).
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation said: “Humans are social animals. We not only enjoy each other’s company, but we also thrive on it.
“Digital solutions have tremendous value, however we
must not underestimate the value of talking through our problems.
“It sounds non-technical, and therefore old-fashioned, but getting farmers to open up is the very first step to building a holistic approach to mental health in the industry.
“It is so important to encourage a habit within agriculture that explicitly recognises how the job can, and does, impact on the wellbeing of everyone living and working in it and how poor mental health can have a direct and deadly impact on the job.
“Given the year we have just experienced, making sure we are all looking after our physical and mental wellbeing has never been more relevant.”
To find out more about the Farm Safety Foundation and how it is tackling the issue of poor mental health in the industry visit www.yellowwellies.org.