Union calls for better farm safety measures

THE GOVERNMENT is being urged to do more to improve safety in the agricultural industry amid worries that deaths and injuries are being treated as an “occupational hazard”.

Unite accused Ministers of failing to take “basic steps” to improve vehicle safety, attacking the decision not to require tractors to have an MoT certificate to ensure their roadworthiness.

The union said rules on who can drive a tractor were “lax”, adding that a 13-year-old is legally allowed to drive one on private land.

Ahead of International Workers’ Memorial Day on Saturday, Unite said last year’s 27 deaths in agriculture accounted for a fifth of the work-related total.

Unite officer Joe Clarke said: “Urgent action is needed to ensure that agricultural workers are not killed, maimed or injured at work. Too many Government departments are guilty of looking the other way and caving in to vested interests, rather than taking action to improve the safety of farm workers.

“Farm safety will not be significantly improved until there is a dramatic overhaul of agricultural safety laws, backed up by an effective enforcement regime.”

A number of events will be held across the UK on Saturday to mark the memorial day.

Shaun Graham of the GMB union said: “The theme of this year is ‘unionised workplaces are safer workplaces’. It is a day to remember the dead, and to fight like hell for the living.”