A risk management specialist is urging the region’s farmers not to relax safety standards after official figures revealed a drop in the number of fatalities in the British agricultural industry – with one death in Yorkshire and the Humber.

This figure for 2021/22 is compared to seven fatalities the previous year and is in line with national figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which reveal that 25 people were killed in the agriculture sector in 2021/22 – 16 fewer than last year.

The Yorkshire case occurred when a 54-year-old self-employed farmer was killed when a minibus fell on top of him while he was working under the front of the vehicle.

Agriculture remains the riskiest industry to work in, with fatal injuries around 18 times higher than the ‘all industry rate’.

A risk management specialist is urging the region’s farmers not to relax safety standards after official figures revealed a drop in the number of fatalities in the British agricultural industry – with one death in Yorkshire and the Humber.
This figure for 2021/22 is compared to seven fatalities the previous year. — A risk management specialist is urging the region’s farmers not to relax safety standards after official figures revealed a drop in the number of fatalities in the British agricultural industry – with one death in Yorkshire and the Humber. This figure for 2021/22 is compared to seven fatalities the previous year.

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This was followed by being struck by an object, contact with machinery, falls from height and animal-inflicted deaths.

Alex Cormack, of Lycetts Risk Management Services, said: “This drop in fatalities is to be welcomed. But, while it is encouraging news, I would urge those who work in the industry not to become complacent.

“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.”

Agricultural fatality rates drop in Yorkshire but farmers warned not to get complacent