Safety first for Lancashire farmers

Saturday 20 February 2010

HUNDREDS of local farmers attended a safety event at Myerscough College’s Lodge Farm in February.

The free training day was organised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and offered tips for farmers on staying safe, after new figures revealed an agricultural worker is seriously injured in Lancashire every fortnight.

The event was broken up into six practical safety demonstrations delivered by Lantra staff, farmers and lecturers. The demonstrations included roofing safety, chemical handling, quad bike safety, animal handling safety, material handling safety, vehicle and machinery maintenance and working at height.

One in five work-related deaths is in agriculture, despite only 1.5 percent of the
population working in the industry. There were two deaths and 132 serious injuries in Lancashire during the five years between 2004/5 and 2008/9.

The latest official figures show that 26 workers were killed and another 589 suffered major injuries in farming accidents across Great Britain during 2008/9, including three deaths and 36 major injuries in the North West.

The major causes of deaths involved vehicles, being hit by a moving or falling object, and falls from height. HSE research has found that the majority of farmers make at least one change to improve health and safety as a result of attending a Safety and Health Awareness Day.

For the full report and pictures click here