Farmers encouraged to attend Elgin safety event after thumbs up

Date:

4 November 2011

Release No:

SCO/102/11

Farmers are being encouraged to attend a free training event in Elgin on Tuesday, 8 November to get to grips with health and safety in one of Britain's most dangerous industries.

Nearly 8,000 places are being made available at Safety and Health Awareness Days (SHADs) across the country, with the aim of cutting the number of deaths and injuries in future.

95 per cent of the 1,300 farmers surveyed after attending one of last year's safety events organised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said they would recommend them to others. Around three quarters also said the events had greatly increased their understanding of the potential causes of accidents and the actions they could take to prevent deaths and injuries.

Figures from HSE show, on average, between 40 and 50 people are killed on British farms every year, despite there being less than 1.5 percent of the population working in the industry.

Practical demonstrations at the event in Elgin will focus on workplace transport, machine safety, working at height, handling livestock, safe lifting, and working with chemicals.

HM Inspector of Health and Safety Ann Poyner, said:

"Many farmers are self-employed or run small family businesses so we want to make sure they're not putting themselves and their livelihoods at risk with poor health and safety.

"We'll be offering simple tips that won't cost a lot to put into practice and could even help to boost productivity. The free events are also an opportunity to catch up with other local farmers and share industry knowledge.

"It's an alarming statistic that farmers are ten times more likely than most workers to be killed while at work. I'd encourage them to give up half a day of their time to come along to the event in Elgin."

The event will take place at Elgin Auction Market, New Elgin Road, Elgin, IV30 6BE on Tuesday, 8 November. The morning session will run from 8.30 until 12noon and the afternoon session opens for registration at 12.45 and runs until 16.15.

Farmers can arrange to attend the free event in by emailing agriculture.shads@hse.gsi.gov.uk. Places are limited.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Figures covering the last five years show eight in every 100,000 farmers are killed at work in Great Britain every year, compared to the average figure for workplace deaths of eight in every million.

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Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News & PR Scotland