Working together helping to reduce fatalities in the Scottish agriculture industry
The agricultural industry in Scotland claimed seven lives in 2003/04 – four fewer than last year - according to figures released today by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Dr Roger Nourish, Head of HSE’s Agriculture and Food Sector said: “Last year I appealed to Scottish farming families to work with us to stem the rising number of deaths in agriculture. This year has seen a return to single figures. And for the first time in over a decade no agricultural employee was killed in Scotland while at work. The overall reduction in the number of deaths is welcome but we must not be complacent. The trend for agriculture as a whole of a rising fatal accident incidence rate amongst the self-employed and family farms is still a concern. We need to sustain and build on the improvements in Scotland over the past year.”
Stuart North, HSE’s Head of Operations in Scotland, said: “Sensible health and safety is about managing risks not eliminating them. The people best placed to make farms safer are farmers themselves - so stop and think safety. Health and safety is a fundamental requirement of a sustainable farming business.”
A total of 88 people have been killed in Scottish agriculture over the past ten years - an average of around nine every year. The estimated cost to farmers and farm workers of farm accidents in 2003/04 was estimated at £44.5 million. These losses are avoidable by taking sensible health and safety measures.
HSE is committed to being a good partner within Scottish agriculture and we are working closely with Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) and National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) on a range of initiatives.
HSE’s efforts alone will not build a safer and healthier industry. It is for everyone in the agriculture and the wider food chain to play their part in addressing this issue. For example, we are discussing with SEERAD and NFUs the place of risk management as central to their objectives of sustainable farm businesses and how it can be integrated into their initiatives such as farm business plans and land management contracts.
Stuart North added, “Two workers died felling trees. This is a high-risk activity requiring a high level of knowledge and skill. Even highly competent workers can get into difficulty during work on trees. So I call on all those commercial organisations and the public, who engage tree surgeons, to help by engaging reputable and competent contractors.”
Dr Nourish added: “A sustainable farming business needs farmers who are alive and well. Remember, stop and think safety, make sure you come home in one piece.”
Details of Scottish Deaths in the Agricultural Sector 2003/2004
There were no underlying patterns of accident causation. Two accidents involved transport; one involved a seven-year-old child who was hit by a reversing tractor and trailer as she cycled in the farmyard and the other when a farmer lost control of his ATV, which overturned trapping him underneath. Two people died when they were struck by falling, flying or moving objects - both involved falling branches / trees during tree work. A farmer’s wife was asphyxiated by the inhalation of grain and lack of oxygen in a grain bin while attempting to clear debris. A member of the public was attacked by a highland cow as he was walking with his family on a private road; and in the remaining case the victim fell from a baler drawbar attached to a tractor driven by farmer.
SCOTLAND
Scotland East
A 79-year–old member of the public, assisting his friend to bale hay, was found unconscious next to the baler. After baling had finished the farmer drove his tractor down a sloped, steep field without noticing his friend had stepped onto the baler drawbar. As he descended the slope, the farmer lost control of the tractor. The baler jack-knifed causing the tractor to stall. The farmer found his friend unconscious next to baler. He subsequently died in hospital.
A 7 year–old girl was hit by a reversing tractor and trailer as she cycled in the farmyard. She was riding her bicycle behind a tractor pulling a trailer loaded with potato boxes and was hit by the trailer as the tractor reversed.
A 74-year–old member of the public was attacked by a Highland cow while walking with his family on a private road through an estate. A small group of cows and young calves had been moved to a new area in preparation for ear tagging. The cattle had been left alone over lunch, during which time the deceased and his family walked past. One cow left her calf and butted the walker, lifting him off his feet. There was no previous history of the cattle behaving aggressively and they were used to large numbers of walkers crossing the estate. He died the following day from head injuries.
A 57 year–old farmer’s wife was asphyxiated in a grain bin whilst attempting to clear debris. She was helping her husband load the contents of the grain store into a haulage contractor’s trailer. She climbed onto the top of the grain to clear surface debris while the farmer went to start the augers. She was trapped inside the silo and was pulled under the surface before the augers could be switched off. She was asphyxiated by the inhalation of grain and lack of oxygen.
A 59 year–old, self-employed arborist was killed when a tree sprung back and struck him. He was felling a mature oak - with a bough on the right hand side - into open space and was standing in the safe zone wearing full personal protective equipment, including a safety helmet. As the tree fell, the bough hit a nearby tree and broke off, before springing back and striking him.
Scotland West
A 62 year–old, self-employed farmer died, pinned beneath his overturned ATV. It seems he was attempting to cross a narrow ditch on a downward slope. Although experienced and familiar with the area, he had not undertaken any quad bike training, nor was he wearing a safety helmet. A sharp drop at the crossing point would have made the ATV unstable, even at moderate speeds. He was found lying on his back in the ditch with the ATV upside down, lying on top of him.
A 39 year–old, self-employed chainsaw operator was killed when he was struck by a tree top when felling a 25 metre Sitka Spruce. The tree he was felling broke the top section of an adjacent tree on the way down. This section landed on the chainsaw operator’s back causing him to be fatally injured. The operator was fully trained and had relevant certification for the type of work he was doing.
Injuries in Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fish farming in Scotland as reported to HSE 1993/1994 to 2003/2004*
Fatal
Major
Over 3 days
Total
1993/94
9
72
208
289
1994/95
8
49
208
265
1995/96
13
60
188
261
1996/97
12
118
209
339
1997/98
8
97
167
272
1998/99
10
107
176
293
1999/2000
8
117
223
348
2000/2001
9
108
221
338
2001/2002
2
116
157
275
2002/2003
11
83
170
264
2003/2004*
7
73
110
190
* Provisional data
Note: Data from 1996/97 use the new definitions in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)1995 which extended the qualifying criteria for major injuries and alter the requirements for reporting injuries to members of the public.
