A risk management expert is urging the region’s farmers to improve their health and safety standards after official figures revealed the East Midlands is one of only two areas in Britain to see a rise in the number of fatalities in the agricultural industry.
Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveal that three people in the region’s agricultural sector were killed in 2021/22.
Across Britain, however, there were 25 fatalities – 16 fewer than last year.
Alex Cormack, of Lycetts Risk Management Services, said: “It is tragic that the number of deaths in the region has increased. And while the drop in fatalities across Britain is to be welcomed, I would urge those who work in the industry not to become complacent.”
Fatal injuries were most commonly caused by people being struck by moving vehicles. This was followed by being struck by an object, contact with machinery, falls from height and animal-inflicted deaths.
The latest figures suggest considerable progress in agricultural risk management since the early 1980s, when there were around double the number of fatal injuries. This year’s total number of fatalities, which includes three members of the public, is the second lowest number of deaths recorded in the last five years.
Agriculture, however, remains the riskiest industry to work in, with fatal injuries around 18 times higher than the ‘all industry rate’.
A 38-year-old self-employed farmer in the East Midlands was killed by slurry gas when he entered a slurry tank.
In another incident, a 19-year-old worker was killed when he was struck by an HGV.
The third fatality saw a 58-year-old self-employed farmer getting crushed by a falling bale.
Cormack added: “Figures for the last five years reveal that more self-employed workers are killed than employed workers, suggesting that while employers may be taking care to implement health and safety measures, and educate and train their staff, they are not giving their own personal safety enough attention.
“Death and injury can have a devastating effect on families, as well as destroying businesses, yet risk-taking seems to be an underlying problem in the industry.
“Some fatalities can be attributed to freak accidents, but others could be avoided by adopting a more rigorous approach to safety. Risk assessments should be thorough, all appropriate training should be undertaken, and safety policies should be implemented.”
