Agricultural environments are fast-paced, messy and rife with hazards. There’s no wonder it’s one of the most dangerous industries to work in, as we’ll explore later. The onus is on employers to implement protocols and precautions, and workers to follow them in order to keep everyone safe at work. In this article, we’ll delve into the danger in agriculture and how accidents can be avoided.
Reports from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show just how high the level of risk is in the agricultural industries. In 2022/23, 27 people were killed during farming and other related work activities.
These industries have the highest rates of fatal injury per 100,000 workers of all the main sectors across the country, which is staggering to think. It’s not just farming – fishing and forestry are big culprits for work-related deaths.
According to the HSE reports, injury inflicted by animals (particularly cattle) is one of the most common causes of fatalities in agriculture. One report details the fatalities, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
But they are also commonly caused by the following:
Managing risk is essential for agricultural businesses and workplaces. Injuries can disrupt staffing and operations, and potentially lead to legal disputes if people suffer significant injuries at work. Measures should be taken to identify, mitigate and monitor hazards across the work environment.
Some of the most important health and safety principles for agricultural businesses to follow are:
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