Unions express shock over farm death increases

Farmers are being warned to adhere more closely to health and safety initiatives after it emerged that 31 people were killed as a result of farming this year.

As in previous years, transport was responsible for more deaths in 2013/14 than any other cause. Ten people (32%) died after being either: struck by moving vehicles; run over by tractors and farm equipment; caught between moving vehicles, equipment and structures; or trapped by an overturned vehicle.

The National Farmers' Union and the CLA both issued appeals after the publication of the figures, saying some farmers had a 'cavalier' attitude towards health and safety which needed to be amended.

"This figure is simply not acceptable," said CLA North Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn.


"Behind each one of these deaths is a family tragedy, many of which could have been avoided with more care and attention to safety procedures."

Farming is a hazardous industry. Farmers and farm workers work with potentially dangerous machinery, vehicles, chemicals, livestock, at height or near pits and silos. They are exposed to the effects of bad weather, noise and dust. The risks also include family members working at the farm and children living at the farm.

Agricultural work can also be physically demanding and the repetitive nature of the work causes a range of health problems, including severe back pain.

Three of the deaths involved a bull: A 78-year-old member of the public was attacked by a bull; a 33-year-old self-employed

farmer was killed by a dairy bull; and a 65-year-old farmer was also attacked and trampled by his temperamental and aggressive bull.

Four incidents involved fragile roofs: A 55-year-old self-employed farmer died when he fell through a fragile roof; a 64-year-old self-employed contractor was working on a barn roof replacing broken roof lights when he fell through onto a concrete floor below; a 61-yearold handyman died when he fell through a fragile roof light; and a 38-year-old self-employed farmer also fell through a fragile roof skylight onto a concrete

The fifth was a 71-year-old self-employed farmer who died when he fell from scaffolding onto a pallet of slates.

A 40-year-old farm worker was killed by a tractor and power harrow drill combination; a 65-year-old self-employed farmer was trapped underneath a telehandler bucket; a 55-year-old farm worker was trapped in a tractor trailer tailgate; a 39-year-old self-employed farmer was dragged into a combine harvester; and a 66-year-old self-employed farmer died when he was dragged into a silo sweep auger.

Four hundred and twenty-four (424) fatalities in agriculture (including farming, forestry, arboriculture, horticulture, fish farming etc) were reported to HSE between 2003/04 and 2012/13. Of these, 126 (30%) were to employees, 242 (57%) were to self-employed people and 56 (13%) were to members of the public who were killed as a result of someone else’s work activity.

NFU North East regional director Richard Pearson said reckless farmers were:"Putting themselves at risk in cost-cutting exercises.

“Just taking a moment to stop and think about what could go wrong could save your life."