Disclaimer: This article contains content that readers may find distressing. Please contact NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458, head to our farm safety hot topic for the latest information and advice or visit our mental health support directory.
The new year for HSE (Health and Safety Executive) recordings for fatal notifications started on 1 April – since then, the industry has averaged one fatality every week for the first seven weeks.
If this rate continues, it will become one of the worst recording years for several decades.
It is important to note that although these fatalities are subject to HSE review to determine if they are a result of working in agriculture, there is nothing to suggest otherwise and they are therefore deeply concerning.
Change starts with you
These fatalities are a result of a variety of causes, which reminds us that there are no tasks where safety should not be the number one priority.
Changing the culture of safety involves everyone in agriculture – always be open to suggestions if someone thinks there is a safer way of doing the task.
Something as simple and as powerful as following the mantra behind the NFU’s Take 5, Stay Alive campaign could make all the difference.
Pausing for just five minutes gives you a brief window before starting any task – no matter how many times you've done it before – to take a breather, assess the situation and assess the physical and mental wellbeing of yourself and your team.
Hidden cost
It is important to remember that everyone is affected by poor safety practices.
There is a mental health impact on those involved in the accident, those who work with the person affected, and their friends and family members.
The therapy that may be required highlights this hidden cost – one in which the recovery period for the persons involved and those working on the farm can be indeterminate.
If you need mental health and wellbeing support, visit our directory on NFUonline.com | Find mental health and wellbeing support in your area
Monetary costs
The financial burden cannot be ignored, with the HSE inspecting after an incident at a cost of approximately £188 per hour.
On top of that, there is the potential cost of lawyers if HSE decides to prosecute and the subsequent expenses and fines which can amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Rises in insurance premiums need to be taken into account, as well as the cost of additional employees that may be required to cover any backlog of work.
As well as the cost of repairs and replacements of farm property, there are the physical accommodations that are needed following a serious incident, as well as any additional care.
These are the risks of not putting the proper health and safety measures in place, although it is impossible to truly quantify the physical, emotional and monetary cost of accidents and fatalities.
