Young farmers urged to undergo training to help reduce accidents

THE NEXT generation of farmers is being urged to take potentially lifesaving training as new figures show 30 people died while performing agricultural jobs last year.

Farming has the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK and so the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) is calling on its 624 clubs to commit to delivering a training course, developed by the Farm Safety Foundation, to its 25,000 members.

Ed Ford, chairman of the NFYFC, said: “The Farm Safety Curve training module is a fun and interactive training session with a serious message – it could save someone’s life.

“We want all our YFCs to commit to putting the training on their 2017-18 club programmes and show their commitment by sharing our pledge cards on social media. We want the world to know that Young Farmers are dedicated to farm safety.”

The plea, during Farm Safety Week, came as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that 30 people were killed in agriculture in 2016, compared with 29 the year before.

From quad bike accidents to animal attacks, farming remains one of England’s most hazardous industries; accounting for 1.5 per cent of workers but 15-20 per cent of all worker fatalities.

Rick Brunt, the HSE’s head of agriculture, waste and recycling, said: “Agriculture is a critical part of our economy, but every year we have to report that agriculture has the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK. This is made even more tragic by the fact that the deaths and injuries are avoidable. The precautions to prevent people being killed and maimed on farms are well known and can be easily applied.”