HSE/SCO/087/08 29 May 2008

Farms in North East Scotland to face safety spot checks

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will next week begin an intensive inspection campaign that will take inspectors on to numerous farms and soft fruit growers in the North East of Scotland over the next fortnight in order to tackle poor safety standards.

Agriculture continues to be a dangerous industry to work in and has one of the worst fatal accident and occupational ill health records of any major employment sector.  Last year in the sector there were approximately 8.1 deaths per 100,000 workers across the UK, where as the equivalent number in construction was approx. 3.7 deaths per 100,000 workers.

The inspection blitz will target Perthshire, Angus, Aberdeenshire and Moray and will focus on migrant workers, falls from height, workplace transport and overhead power lines.

HSE Inspector Lawrence Murray said:

"Farming is a risky business.  Within the agricultural industry the level of death and injury to farmers, workers, and members of the public is unacceptable.

"In 2006/07, 31 workers in Scotland lost their life at work and 2702 workers were seriously injured – of these, seven fatalities and 61 serious injuries were in the agricultural sector.

"However almost all of these tragic accidents could have been avoided, as the risks and precautions are well known.  By reaching out to more of the farmers in this particular region, and on their own premises, we hope to get some hard-hitting messages home to them about issues that may be crucial to their own health, safety and well-being.

"We will continue to take action against those who ignore safety precautions.  Farms where health and safety is taken seriously have nothing to fear, but we will root out those that put lives at risk".

During the inspection initiative, HSE inspectors will be looking at:

• The provision of adequate health and safety advice in the appropriate language to Migrant workers.
• Working at height.
• Workplace transport.
• Manual handling of livestock.
• Child safety on farms.
• Avoiding danger when working near overhead power lines.
• Quad bike training and the use of protective headgear.
• Awareness of the work force to risk control measures.

Notes to editors

1. The inspections will take place from Monday 2 June - Friday 13 June 2008.
2. More information on health and safety in agriculture can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm
3. Health and safety advice can be found at the following web page and is available in 14 different languages: http://www.hse.gov.uk/migrantworkers/index.htm.  HSE’s Infoline (Tel: 0845 345 0055) offers help and advice on health and safety. A three-way conversation between an Infoline adviser, the caller and an interpreter where the caller does not speak English.  This is available in over 100 languages.
4. A new pocket card aimed at migrant workers in agriculture and food processing is available in a number of languages which provides basic and essential information on rights and responsibilities under British health and safety legislation.. http://www.hse.gov.uk/migrantworkers/worker.htm#pocketcard. 
5. For further details on latest HSE statistics in Scotland, see the summary of statistics of occupational ill health, safety and enforcement 2006/07 at http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/regions/scotland.htm
6. HSE published the latest annual work related fatal injury statistics on 26 July 2007 which can be viewed at:http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm
7. HSE Inspectors will be available for interview upon request.

Public enquiries:

Call HSE's InfoLine, Tel: 08701 545500,
or write to: HSE InfoLine, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.

Press enquiries (Journalists only):

News Desk - Katy Jeffrey: 0131 244 9062
Out of hours:020 7928 8382

HSE information and press releases can be accessed on the Internet: http://www.hse.gov.uk/

Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News and PR Scotland.