Farm Safety Week targets hidden toll of serious injuries
© iStockphoto/Kazuma Seki Farmers are being urged to give life-changing injuries the same attention as fatalities, as new figures underline agriculture’s persistently poor safety record.
The call marks the start of the 14th annual Farm Safety Week (20-24 July), led by the Farm Safety Foundation, which this year focuses on the long-term consequences of life-changing injuries for farmers, workers and their families.
See also: Poor physical health: The hidden farm safety risk
New figures released on 20 July show 22 farmworkers died in Great Britain during 2025-26, with half of those killed aged 65 or over.
Children accounted for 10% of fatalities.
Health and Safety Executive data shows workers in agriculture, forestry and fishing are about seven times more likely to be killed at work than construction workers and 21 times more likely than the all-industry average.
Beyond fatalities
The data also highlights that beyond the fatalities, about 9,000 workers are suffering from work-related ill health, with 67% of cases linked to musculoskeletal disorders.
An estimated 8,000 non-fatal workplace injuries have occurred over the past five years.
A Farm Safety Foundation survey of 408 farmers and agricultural workers also suggests the prospect of surviving an accident with a disability is a greater concern for farmworkers than being killed.
Among respondents under 40, almost half said they were more worried about being left with a disability following an accident, compared with 36.6% who feared dying.
Among older respondents, the figures were 51.7% and 31.4%, respectively.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “When we talk about farm safety, fatalities understandably dominate the conversation, but serious injuries can be just as life-changing.
“The reality is that there is no such thing as a papercut on a farm and the margin between a near miss, a serious injury and a fatal incident is often frighteningly small.
“We must take injuries just as seriously as fatalities and recognise that preventing harm, not just death, has to be our goal.”
Heightened risk
The foundation warns of increased risk of serious and fatal incidents during the ongoing heatwave as farmers work in tough conditions.
It advises outdoor workers to take simple, potentially lifesaving precautions, including:
- Keep a top on when working and wear a hat with a brim or flap
- Use high-factor sunscreen of at least SPF30 on exposed skin
- Drink plenty of water – little and often, and avoid alcohol
- Take sufficient breaks and watch for signs of fatigue, stress and poor mental health
- Keep machinery clean and well-maintained during harvest
- Be alert to dust build-up, overheating parts and fire risks
