Argyll tops table for workplace injuries

ARGYLL and Bute has the highest rate of workplace injuries in Scotland, new figures reveal. Some 545 injuries for every 100,000 workers in the area were reported to the Health and Safety Executive in 2016/17.

In Britain overall, 263 injuries were reported for every 100,000 workers in 2016/17. Argyll and Bute ranks 10th out of 381 British local authorities for workplace injuries.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing result in the most workplace injuries, followed by construction. The waste and recycling industry has the highest rate of deaths.

An NFU Scotland spokesperson said: ‘Farming often involves a lot of working with heavy machinery and with animals, both of which can be very dangerous. When working with machinery, it is important to have the best possible training and the proper safety equipment.

‘Animals can be volatile and unpredictable, no matter how experienced someone is in handling them. The best precautions that can be taken are to receive the best possible training and to carefully plan out any work beforehand.

‘Farm safety is very important to NFU Scotland and through our joint initiative with NFU Mutual, Scottish Government and Health and Safety Executive, we look to educate and inform as many farmers as possible about the different risks and the ways to reduce them.’