NFU Scotland President John Kinnaird has called for agricultural workers to heed a hard-hitting health and safety message being delivered to the industry at the Royal Highland Show. (Thursday, June 22)
The President today visited a full scale reconstruction of a series of farming occupational accidents at the Ingliston event including a crash scene with an upturned, dirt-sprayed farm pick up which is the centrepiece of the eye-catching exhibition.
Working in partnership to raise awareness of the risks of working in what is one of the most hazardous industry sectors, the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, the Health and Safety Executive, NHS 24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service are using the show to deliver the important message about prevention, protection and reassurance to agricultural workers, under the theme 'It shouldn't happen to a rural worker'.
NFU Scotland President, John Kinnaird, said: "With the many daily demands of the job it is all too easy for farmers to become complacent about health and safety issues. But for too long the industry has suffered from a high toll of fatalities, injuries and illness. All of us must ensure we put safety first.
"The exhibition here at the show tackles the issues in a practical, straight-forward way and I would urge all those who work in the sector and are visiting the show to take advantage of the advice and information being provided on this vital topic."
The Scottish Executive has also welcomed the initiative. Minister for Rural Affairs and Development Ross Finnie MSP said: "The display at this stand acts as a stark reminder to the farming industry that their work can be dangerous. While health and safety issues may not always be at the front of people's minds in what is a busy working environment, too many agricultural workers suffer serious injury or worse in the workplace every year.
"The partnership approach being adopted here at the Royal Highland Show creates a one-stop shop for health and safety advice and takes a light-hearted look at what is a very serious issue."
There were five fatalities among agricultural workers in Scotland in 2004/5 and 185 serious injuries.
Falls from height and musculoskeletal disorders are two of the hazards being highlighted at the exhibition which also includes stunts of a farm worker falling from a scaffolding tower, a worker trapped in a baler and chipper machine and an accident involving livestock. Last year 16 agricultural workers throughout the UK died as a result of a fall from height, for example, from a bale stack, ladder or grain store gantry.
Back, neck and limb disorders are the most common types of ill health among agricultural workers and around 80 per cent of people in the industry say will they suffer from musculoskeletal disorders. The health and safety exhibition at the Royal Highland Show will include a demonstration of how to safely handle a 45 gallon drum.
The exhibition aims to offer professional advice to employers and workers and to highlight the support and services that are available in Scotland to help them prevent and protect their workers from work-related injury, ill health and sickness absence. Health and safety professionals and advisors from all the partners will be on hand throughout the show to provide practical advice and information and reassure workers that in the event that something does go wrong there are services geared up to respond to people in rural communities. Employers can also register for a free and confidential follow-up workplace visit from a Healthy Working Lives advisor at the show.
