Even the most safety conscious farmers can experience the effects of a serious injury as we learn from Norfolk farmer Tim Papworth. Tim was carrying out a simple operation – changing a light bulb in a potato store – but one slip had life-changing consequences. As the owner of the farming business, Tim did what
Charles Mayson, a farm advisor based in Herefordshire and finalist in the 2019 Farmers Weekly ‘Livestock Adviser of the Year’ Award, has been encouraged by some of the changes he has seen in health and safety attitudes over the years. However, he is deeply troubled by agriculture’s stubbornly high incident record. Today he shares his
In the second of today’s blogs, Philip Wynn, former Master of the Worshipful Company of Farmers, discusses the findings of the recent WCF Health and Wellbeing report. This 44 page document, commissioned by Farmers’ Livery Company and undertaken by Rose Regeneration, together with the University of Lincoln, aimed to understand in greater detail the key
Northern Ireland farm worker Chris Surgenor arrived in Essex in 2014 to help out for the summer on a large farm. Work at home in Kilkeel, Co.Down was scarce and Chris was having to take on two or three jobs at a time to make ends meet. In February the following year he was offered
Following Gareth’s blog about the importance of wearing a helmet when riding an ATV, we spoke to John Yuille Jnr, Managing Director of ATV Services Scotland who shared his experiences of the challenges they face every day encouraging people to use their head and what they are doing to drive a change this Farm Safety
This year’s Farm Safety Week focuses on real farmers and one farmer who often swaps food production for film production is Gareth Wyn Jones. Gareth lives in Llanfairfechan, North Wales, where his family has farmed for 350 years. As a safety ambassador for Honda ATVs, Gareth shares his thoughts on the use of All Terrain
Falls from height accounted for 18% of all fatal farm incidents in 2018/2019 according to the latest HSE annual Fatal Injuries in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Report Great Britain and many more long term injuries. Most incidents of this type happen either because the work is not properly planned, the risks are not recognised, proper
When we were sitting down to plan this year’s Farm Safety Week, a copy of the 2019 NFU Mutual Voice of the Farmer research landed on our desks. This annual research into 1,800 farmers across the UK revealed that awareness of farm safety has never been higher (70% of those surveyed were aware of the
It’s hard to believe that this is our 7th annual Farm Safety Week says Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation… In a year when it has been revealed that, despite there being seven times more workers employed in the construction industry than agriculture, forestry and fishing, you are actually seven times more likely
Whilst UK farmers are renowned for the attention they give to their livestock, crops and machinery, it appears they do not have such a good track record when it comes to taking care of themselves and their own wellbeing. There are a number of mental health risk factors associated with agriculture. Farmers work long hours, often in isolation. They