Year overshadowed by Morcambe Bay deaths - but longer term analysis shows self employed and family farmers remain a key issues

HSE Press Release: E086:04 - 6 July 2004

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today revealed that a total of 51 deaths occurred in the agriculture industry, an increase from last year's figure of 38. This increase was attributable to the deaths of 21 migrant workers who drowned while harvesting cockles at Morecambe Bay in February this year.

Since February, HSE has been assisting the police-led investigation at Morecambe and developing straightforward, practical guidelines for safe working in estuaries and tidal areas in consultation with local fishermen and other government agencies. Following consultation, these guidelines - which provide a benchmark of good practice - have been posted on HSE's website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/estuary.htm

More generally, HSE is also actively engaged with other government agencies and local authorities over the issue of casual and temporary labour in the agriculture industry as a whole. In particular, HSE inspectors are actively supporting the Department of Work and Pension's (DWP's) Operation Gangmaster, through forums set up throughout Great Britain. As a result HSE inspectors have participated with other government agencies in a number of Operation Gangmaster initiatives over the past year.

Excluding the Morecambe Bay incident - 30 people were killed, of which 17 were self-employed, 6 employed and 7 members of the public (last year 38 were killed, of which 20 were self-employed, 15 employed and 3 members of the public).

It is sad to have to report that this year's fatal accident record has increased. An increase that is significant because it reflects the tragic deaths of 21 people at Morecambe Bay. The longer term performance trends shows that traditional land-based agricultural, forestry and arboricultural activities still continue to cause high numbers of deaths.

From this years figures we can see the number of fatal accidents involving the self-employed is nearly three times greater than that of employees. The majority of the self-employed were family farmers undertaking traditional agricultural activities. Last year HSE stated its determination to focus its efforts on the rising fatal accident incidence rate amongst this part of the sector and this remains the central focus of HSE's attention.

The cost to farmers and farm workers of farm accidents in 2003/04 was estimated at £217.2 million. These losses could have been potentially avoided if sensible health and safety measures had been taken.

Dr Roger Nourish, Head of HSE's Agriculture and Food sector said: "Sensible health and safety is about managing risks not eliminating all risk, however minor. The people best placed to make farms safer are farmers themselves. Health and safety is a fundamental requirement of a sustainable farming business and should be regarded as integral to good farm business management. Unwise risk-taking is the underlying problem and those working on their own are especially vulnerable. A fundamental culture change is needed."

Presenting these statistics for the first time in the context of longer-term performance trends, Dr Nourish continued: "The deaths at Morecambe Bay are also sadly, deserving of mention here, , looking at the trends without this figure, our analysis shows a continuing downward trend in fatal incident rates in the employed sector, for which agricultural employers are to be congratulated. Regrettably this is not matched by the performance of the self-employed.

"Once again transport related incidents were the major cause of death in the industry. Other key causes were: falls from height; being struck by falling, flying or moving objects and trapped by something collapsing or overturning.

"HSE's efforts alone will not build a safer and healthier industry. It is for everyone in agriculture and the wider food chain to play their part. The ill health caused by work on farms and in forestry is a further cause of misery for those affected and severe financial loss for the whole industry. But it is not included in today's injury statistics.

"We have been working alongside our partners to coordinate action to make the industry a safer place to work in. Through partnership and co-operation we are determined to reduce the number of deaths in agriculture, particularly amongst the self-employed. Better communication with this part of the sector is key. We recognise that jointly we need to deliver more specifically tailored, practical advice and guidance to keep farmers alive and well.

"Today I am pleased to unveil two such examples. Firstly HSE's own interactive downloadable software package, which simplifies the process of risk assessment and is intended to help farmers apply good health and safety practices. Secondly "farm safe" an interactive e-learning health and safety training programme developed, trialled and tested by Farmcare, part of the Co-operative group, Britain's leading commercial farmer. HSE, Farmcare and Lantra have joined forces to make this package available to everyone via the web - which goes live today.

"In addition we will continue to run our successful programme of Safety and Health Awareness Days specifically targeted at the self-employed and family farms, demonstrating common health and safety risks and solutions. We will also continue to raise our online profile. Our emphasis over the coming years will increasingly be on innovative methods of communications and working through others who are sometimes better placed to promote the effective management of health and safety.

"Finally, returning to the theme of casual and temporary labour employed in the industry, the Health & Safety Commission (HSC) has affirmed that the hidden economy, including migrant and other vulnerable workers needs greater thought and attention if we are to fulfil our new strategy and vision of making health and safety a cornerstone of a civilised society."

HSE is determined to ensure that society at large learns the lessons from the Morecambe Bay tragedy and that the rights of all workers, including the most vulnerable, are properly safeguarded. We will continue to address the specific risks from shellfish harvesting through a programme of inspection and enforcement initiatives using the published guidelines as a benchmark of good practice. HSE is keen to play its part in cross-departmental initiatives, where this is consistent with our mission: to protect people's health and safety by ensuring risks in the changing workplace are properly controlled.

Notes to editors

1. Details of all the fatalities in agricultural sector in Great Britain are in 'Fatal injuries in farming, forestry and horticulture 2003/2004'.

2. Following consultation guidelines for safe working in estuaries and tidal areas, which provide a benchmark of good practice is now available on HSE's website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/estuary.htm

3. The guidelines have been translated into Chinese and have been handed to Chinese workers encountered during routine inspections in Morecambe Bay. In addition to these planned, preventive inspections, HSE inspectors have since February also started investigations into a number of reported incidents where those working on shellfish harvesting have had to be rescued.

4. The guidelines will also be used as the basis for a joint inspection initiative, in cooperation with the relevant local Sea Fisheries Committees, of shellfish harvesting operations in other estuaries and tidal areas around GB during 2004-05.

5. The total of 51 includes 21 migrant workers, 23 workers (employees and self employed) and seven members of the public (including two children). The number of deaths has increased from the previous years figure (2002/03) but show a reduction if the deaths of the 21 Chinese cockle-pickers are stripped out.

6. Ten of the fatalities involve transport, six of them when the vehicle overturned. The remaining four died as a result of being struck by a moving vehicle. Seven deaths were caused by a fall from a height. Five people died when they were struck by falling, flying or moving objects; a further three deaths when the victim was trapped by something collapsing or overturning; two people were killed by animals and another two were asphyxiated due to the lack of oxygen. The remaining accident occurred when an ATV rider was found trapped between the seat of his ATV and a railing across a gap in the wall.

7. HSE's Agriculture website is available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm

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