90 farm emergencies a year spark life-saving training drive in Wales

Emergency medical teams attend around 90 farming-related incidents every year in Wales, prompting a new drive to equip farmers with life-saving skills before professional help arrives.

The Wales Air Ambulance and Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) regularly respond to serious incidents on farms, including vehicle accidents, crush injuries, livestock-related injuries and cardiac arrests.

With many farmers working alone or in remote locations, the first few minutes after an accident can be critical, particularly when emergency crews face longer journeys to reach the scene.

A new series of free first aid workshops, called *Tractors and Trauma*, has now been launched by the Wales Farm Safety Partnership in collaboration with EMRTS.

Starting on 15 October, the sessions will give farmers and agricultural workers practical experience of responding to potentially life-threatening emergencies through realistic farm-based scenarios.

Training will cover cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support, controlling catastrophic bleeding, treating burns and responding to crush injuries.

Participants will also learn how to manage emergencies in isolated rural locations while awaiting professional medical assistance.

Kate Humphries, speaking on behalf of EMRTS, warned that knowing how to respond immediately after an accident could make a significant difference to the outcome.

"The first few minutes after an incident are critical and having someone on scene who knows how to respond can make a real difference."

The initiative comes as agriculture continues to record the highest rate of fatal workplace injuries of any major industry in Britain.

Provisional Health and Safety Executive figures show that 22 workers and seven members of the public lost their lives in work-related incidents across agriculture, forestry and fishing in Great Britain during 2025/26.

The sector's fatal injury rate is around 21 times higher than the average across all industries, highlighting the dangers facing those working on farms.

Sian Tandy, from the Wales Farm Safety Partnership, said the workshops were designed to give farmers, family members and employees greater confidence to act quickly and effectively when emergencies occur.

The training will be delivered at four locations across Wales, beginning at Llysfasi College, Ruthin, on 15 October.

Further sessions are scheduled for Llanfarian, near Aberystwyth, on 20 October; Builth Wells on 3 November; and Carmarthen on 17 November.

Each venue will offer two three-hour sessions, running from 1pm to 4pm and 5pm to 8pm.

The workshops are free to attend, although advance booking is essential.

For eligible farm businesses, attendance can also contribute towards the continuing professional development requirement under Universal Action 4 of Wales' Sustainable Farming Scheme.

Farmers can reserve a place through the Farming Connect website or by contacting its service centre on 03456 000 813.