Stark harvest safety warning as 41 farm deaths remembered

As combines start to roll and one of the busiest periods of the farming calendar gets under way, farmers have been given a sobering reminder that every harvest must begin with one priority – getting everyone home safely.

A line of 41 high-visibility jackets hanging in silence at Symonds Farm, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, delivered a powerful message to more than 100 farmers attending an NFU East farm safety event.

Each jacket represented a life lost in a farm accident in the UK since April last year.

See also: Farmers urged to put health and safety first this harvest

Hosted by Suffolk farmer and NFU Suffolk Council representative George Gittus, the display brought into sharp focus the human cost behind the industry’s stubbornly poor safety record.

“Since April last year until today, 41 people – whether they be your colleagues, a member of the public, or a child – have not returned home to their family because they have been killed on farms,” Mr Gittus told those attending.

“When my team were putting these jackets up yesterday, it sent a few shivers down their spines.”

© NFU

‘Perfect storm’ brewing

The poignant display comes at a critical time, with harvest about to begin in earnest across much of the country.

Long hours, mounting pressure, moving machinery and fatigue can combine to create a perfect storm for accidents if farmers lower their guard.

The event at Symonds Farm formed part of a wider NFU East initiative, with 11 health and safety workshops held across the region during June and July.

Hundreds of farmers have attended sessions covering quad bike and ATV safety, emergency first aid, vehicle and driving licence regulations, tyre safety and lone working.

Representatives from the police and fire and rescue service also took part, reinforcing the importance of safe working practices across every aspect of the farm business.

Poor safety record

NFU East regional policy manager Charles Hesketh said farming remained one of Britain’s most dangerous industries.

“It is vital we do everything we can to change the industry’s poor safety record,” he said.

“These annual events are an effective and impactful way to highlight safer ways of working.”

The 41 fatalities are provisional figures, with official statistics due to be released during Farm Safety Week later this month (20-24 July).