According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 67 children died and nearly 400 serious injuries were reported between 1986 and 1999 as a result of agricultural work, with many more accidents feared as unreported.
The risk of children suffering injury in or around the farm should be a major concern for the industry according to insurance brokers Lloyd and Whyte, a subsidiary of Hill House Hammond Business. Farmers and farm workers should also take simple precautions to make sure that children are not in danger when they are on the farm. The HSE have identified the most common accidents around the farm as being:
* Struck by a moving vehicle
* Drowning and asphyxiation
* Struck by a moving object
* Falling from a height
* Contact with machinery
* Fire
* Contact with animals
According to Duncan Short, Regional Development Manager at Lloyd and Whyte "Farming is the only industry that has to accept the constant presence of children around the worksite, since farms are homes as well as workplaces. Farmers and farm workers who want to find out more about preventing accidents on the farm can find a useful guide on the HSE website (www.hse.gov.uk). Taking time for safety should be a top priority for every farmer".