Farm injuries hidden by culture of underreporting

Thousands of farm injuries and near misses may be going unreported each year, with new research suggesting fear of enforcement and routine risk-taking are masking the true scale of danger in UK agriculture.

A survey of 250 farmers by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) found 30 per cent were discouraged from reporting incidents because of concerns about inspections, enforcement action or legal consequences.

It also found 79 per cent had skipped safety measures such as personal protective equipment to complete a task more quickly, while 82 per cent admitted taking shortcuts that may have increased risk.

The findings were released during Farm Safety Week, which runs from 20 to 24 July.

IOSH said many accidents and near misses never reach official reporting systems, limiting the industry’s ability to learn from incidents and prevent them happening again.

A further 34 per cent of respondents said minor injuries and near misses were often not considered serious enough to report.

HSE figures show 22 people were killed in agriculture, forestry and fishing last year, with the sector retaining the highest fatal injury rate in Great Britain.

IOSH President Richard Bate said: “Farming continues to bear more than its fair share of risk, and addressing this requires honesty and action.”

He said the issue was personal to him because he grew up in a North Wales farming community and had seen the consequences of agricultural accidents during his work as an operational paramedic.

The survey found four in five farmers personally knew someone who had been seriously injured or killed in a farming-related incident.

A similar proportion believed attitudes towards health and safety on farms had changed very little over time.

IOSH also highlighted the link between mental wellbeing and physical safety.

More than eight in 10 farmers aged over 30 said stress, fatigue and isolation could affect how safely they worked, reinforcing concerns that mental and physical safety cannot be treated separately.

Mr Bate said financial uncertainty, long hours and isolation were placing growing pressure on farmers.

He warned that fatigue, stress and distraction could sharply increase the risk of accidents.

IOSH is calling on farmers, farm workers and agricultural businesses to reject the idea that accidents are simply part of the job.

The organisation wants better reporting of injuries and near misses, stronger safety leadership and a workplace culture focused on learning rather than blame.

Mr Bate said: “Together, we can make farming a safer and healthier profession – and finally begin to break this tragic cycle.”