Call for more action over farming safety

RURAL: Campaigners have warned that more must be done to improve safety on the nation’s farms safe despite the number of agricultural-related deaths falling to an all-time low.

The announcement by the Health and Safety Executive was welcomed by the Farm Safety Foundation, but it said the number of deaths was too high.

CAMPAIGNERS ARE warning that more must be done to improve safety on the nation’s farms, despite the number of agriculturalrelated deaths falling to an alltime low.

The announcement by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about agricultural-related fatalities was welcomed by the Farm Safety Foundation, but it stressed the number of deaths is still too high.

The HSE, which published the figures to mark Farm Safety

Week, said the number of deaths fell from 32 to 21.

Stephanie Berkeley, the manager of the foundation which is also known as Yellow Wellies, said: “It is still 21 families who have lost loved ones, so while we are on the right track, we won’t stop until we are no longer needed.”

The HSE report, also revealed that one of the 21 deaths was a four-year-old child.

Ms Berkeley said child safety on farms was one of the key issues the charity is highlighting throughout Farm Safety Week, which began on Monday.

She added: “Covid-19 has had a big impact with schools closed and children are at home and around the farm more.

“The sad reality is that three children have lost their lives on British and Irish farms over the past month, so the issue of keeping children safe has never been more important.”

The biggest cause of the fatalities listed in the report was farm transport and the Foundation said there would be a focus on ‘distracted driving’ and rural road safety.

“Rural road safety is such a massive issue,” Ms Berkeley said.

As well as looking at the implications from recent news reports of farmers performing stunts with machinery including tractors and diggers on the TikTok social media platform, there will be also be a session with British Cycling.

Ms Berkeley said: “We want to develop a better understanding between rural road users. There were 48 cyclist deaths on rural roads in 2018 and we are working with British Cycling to make it safer for everyone.”

But she stressed that a lot of work is going on to help improve safety on farms.

She added: “We will be highlighting the top five apps farmers have been using and would recommend as well as the positive stories we have seen during the Covid-19 lockdown.”

Farm Safety Week, which is now in its eighth year, was originally established by the Farm Safety Foundation’s founder NFU Mutual, with a common goal of reducing accidents.

The leading rural organisation, the CLA, said it was “proud” to support the safety initiative. The CLA’s deputy president, Mark Tufnell, said: “Agriculture may have the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK but there are signs this is improving and we want to be part of this change.

“It’s in all our interest to take safety seriously.”

He added that the Farm Safety Foundation is working all year round to educate, engage and communicate farm safety messages.

The foundation will be delivering Farm Safety Week through its website and social media channels.

The issue of keeping children safe has never been more important. Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation.