Agricultural industry urged to put safety first to avoid accidents this Spring

With spring work well underway in the UK, farmers and those working across the industry are being urged to take simple steps to keep safe.

Over the five-year period from 2011 to 2016, 152 people were killed in agriculture in the UK.

This month, a 20-year-old woman died as a result of injuries she suffered while operating farm machinery in Devon.

At busy times of the year safety can fall down the list as many make the most of the better weather and longer daylight hours to complete tasks.

However, NFU Scotland, on behalf of the Farm Safety Partnership, wants those across the industry to put in place simple measures to avoid accidents.

Whether that is working at heights, with livestock, using machinery or travelling on vehicles; simple precautions could prevent injury or worse, the union says.

Andrew McCornick, President of NFU Scotland commented: “We know all too well that safety drops down the list of our priorities when we are busy. However, by just taking a few minutes to look around; to ensure a ladder is secured; that employees are out of the way; or simply to put on a helmet, it could save you from having an accident.

“Every year we see many deaths on Scotland’s farms – even one, is one too many. We urge those working within the industry to take five minutes to read our safety leaflet and put simple measures in place to avoid accidents – that five minutes could be the difference between life and death.”

NFU Scotland's tips for farm safety

• Making sure all drivers and riders receive adequate training

• Carrying out regular checks and maintenance on all vehicles

• Taking extra care with trailed or mounted equipment and understand how they affect stability

• Wearing a helmet when riding an ATV

• Passengers should not be carried on sit-astride ATVs

• Securing loads on racks and make sure they are evenly balanced.