Agriculture champion's stark message to Welsh farmers

Date:

19 July 2009

Release No:

820W09AP

The Health and Safety Executive's is using the Royal Welsh show (19-22 July) show as an opportunity to rally Welsh farmers into looking out for themselves and each other.

HSE board member Sandy Blair, who lives in south Monmouthshire has a stark message:

HSE's new agriculture champion, Sandy Blair

"Death and injury in farming shouldn't be accepted as 'part of the job'; that's a dangerously old-fashioned view of a modern industry.

"We all recognise how important agriculture is to the Welsh economy and environment, so it goes without saying that the safety of those farmers who dedicate their lives to it needs to be a priority."

His comments come in the wake of new figures from the Health and Safety Executive which show agriculture to be the most dangerous industry in Britain, with proportionately more work-related deaths than any other sector.

38 workers were killed while carrying out farm work in 2009/10, marking a return to average levels of previous years and in contrast to 25 fatalities the previous year - a record low.

Echoing comments that HSE Chair, Judith Hackitt made in address to the NFU Council, Sandy urges agriculture to learn from other industries:

"We're very concerned about the performance in agriculture particularly when we look at the improvements we're seeing in every other industry. 10 years ago construction would have been considered a hazardous industry, but it's made real improvements for the better with the lowest ever level of fatalities this year

"We as regulator cannot make farms safe alone. A culture change, led by the industry, is necessary to help unsafe working practices become widely viewed in agricultural communities as unacceptable, not an inevitable part of farming life."

Added Terry Rose, HSE's regional director for Wales:

"The continuing high numbers of fatalities in agriculture are unacceptable in this day and age. It is additionally tragic that many of these lives are lost in family businesses.

"Incidents involving the maintenance vehicles like tractors, ATVs, telehandlers and trailers, working at height during building maintenance, and those involving cattle are the biggest cause of fatal and major injury in Wales, but they can be prevented.

"We'll be at the Royal Welsh Show to offer advice and guidance as part of our efforts to encourage the agricultural community to recognise the risks and take action for themselves."

HSE will also use the show to encourage farmers to 'Make the Promise' to come home safe, as part of a wider programme of activity in the agricultural sector to help reduce the numbers of people killed or injured on farms. To date, almost 2400 Welsh farmers have made that pledge

HSE's stand will feature the stories of farmers who have been killed or injured during the course of their work. Visitors will be able to make their promise, pick up Promise Knots - a visual reminder of their pledge, and children will be able to make Promise Knot key rings on which they can write a message to their loved ones.

With almost three-quarters of farmers aware of the campaign, 'Make the Promise' is increasingly being adopted by the farming community and it already has strong support from the NFU and the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs.

You can find HSE's stand at: Ja 574.

For more information on 'Make the Promise. Come home safe' visit www.hse.gov.uk/makethepromise

Notes to editors

1. HSE produces health and safety guidance for farmers, organizes free health and safety awareness days, provides information and advice through farm visits, by telephone and at agriculture shows. It also monitors the health and safety performance of the industry and, where necessary, takes enforcement action against employers who endanger lives. www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture
2. Visitors to the HSE stand will be able to collect copies of the latest edition of Farmwise - a free, comprehensive guide to managing health and safety in agriculture. Farmwise is also online at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg270.htm
3. 41 fatal injuries to construction workers were recorded in 2009/10 - a rate of 2.0 deaths per 100,000 workers. 38 agriculture workers were killed at work in 2009/10 - a rate of 8.2 deaths per 100,000 workers, making it the most dangerous industry in which to work
4. Sandy Blair has held a number of high profile public service roles in Wales, including Chief Executive of Newport County Borough Council and Director of the Welsh Local Government Association. For more information visit www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hseboard

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR Wales