Farming remains a dangerous industry

Shortly before the beginning of Farm Safety Week, the Health and Safety Executive released its preliminary figures on deaths in the workplace between April 2014 and March 2015. It may come as a surprise to residents of Essex to learn that farming is the most dangerous occupation in the U.K. with almost eight times the rate of fatalities per 100,000 workers than that of the construction industry. A member of the Farm Safety Foundation expressed regret at the continued high level of fatalities in the farming industry.

The senior member of the Foundation highlighted the importance of Safety Week and spoke of raising awareness regarding the dangers of the business. She advised farmers to assess the risks involved in everyday jobs and urged them not to learn about safety through having an accident. The drive to raise awareness of the dangers of farming is supported by a number of organisations including the Farm Safety Partnerships and the Health and Safety Authority Ireland as well as the HSE which released the report.

The figures revealed that 33 people died on farms, an increase of over 20 per cent from the previous year. This is proportionally almost eight times higher than the construction industry and represents almost a quarter of all workplace fatalities across the U.K. Of the 33 people killed, 14 were employees and a further four who were not included in the figure were members of the public.

Employers have a legal duty to provide training and information so that their employees are aware of the dangers involved in their workplace and of the ways to control those risks. There are various health and safety regulations in place to ensure that employees are able to work without harming their health. Accordingly, a person who has been injured in an accident on the job may wish to consult with a solicitor to see if there are any remedies available.