Safety plea as farm staff death toll revealed

The figures from Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures run to March 2011 and have prompted calls for increased safety precautions to be observed by farm workers.

Farming is consistently listed as one of the most dangerous occupations in the country but farming leaders believe simple precautions, such as keeping a mobile phone on your person at all times, could help dramatically reduce accident levels.

Richard Percy, chairman of insurers NFU Mutual, said: “Accidents involving livestock have been happening for many years, but we are concerned that because farmers and farm workers now often run large units alone, which means there is no-one around to help them in the event of an accident.

“Deaths are only part of the story, at NFU Mutual we are dealing with a number of claims which could result in settlements up to £5m to help people who have received devastating injuries while working with cattle.

“Tragically, some of these people will never work again, and the effects of their accidents may well affect the future of their families and farms.

“As a farmer myself, I’m well aware that complacency is the biggest threat to life and limb. When we do a task every day, there’s a real temptation to take short cuts, putting ourselves at risk by not observing safe working practices.

“It’s vital to remember that cattle – particularly bulls – are unpredictable and that the risk of an accident increases when handling livestock in confined spaces such as yards, cattle races and when loading cattle on to vehicles.

“In my experience, it is always the bull that has shown no aggression in the past that catches you out, everyone stays clear of the grumpy one. So beware the quiet bull.”