This week we have discussed the appalling safety record in the industry and also some of the ways we can start to improve things but are we really hearing the messages that are being shared? Today’s theme is the ‘health’ in Health & Safety and one area that we often overlook until it’s too late
Top Tips – Protect The Skin You’re In • Keep your top on when working. • Wear a hat with a brim or a flap that covers the ears and the back of the neck. • Stay in the shade whenever possible, during your breaks and especially at lunch time. • Use a high factor
Working in the sun could lead to one death and around five new cases of melanoma skin cancer a week in the UK. Whilst construction workers have the highest number of fatalities, working in agriculture is second highest and accounts for 23% of these deaths. That’s around one farm worker every month dying from skin
…but sun damage is no laughing matter. Agriculture is an industry where many workers don’t bother their doctor unless they are seriously ill so levels of ill-health are unclear. However, according to HSE, in 2020, 13,000 farm workers suffered from work-related ill health. Musculoskeletal injury (back pain, sprains or strains) is over three times the
In this guest blog, National Farmers Union Deputy President Stuart Roberts, outlines his thoughts and concerns for managing risks in the workplace, especially when that workplace is the great outdoors and shares his advice for ensuring you are minimising those risks to visitors. The past year has been challenging for all of us and for
As many of you know, we’re a charity set up by rural insurer NFU Mutual to raise awareness of farm safety and challenge the risk-taking behaviours that give farming the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK. Unfortunately, as this year’s Health and Safety Executive Fatal Injuries in Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing for
As we have seen, the rise in the numbers of general public visiting our beautiful countryside has grown over lockdown and unfortunately farming activities can pose risks to you, your workers, and also to any contractors or visitors – including walkers, hikers and cyclists. Public safety should be a part of your overall health and
Making your farm a safer place to work and live doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, a tidy up of the yard can reap real benefits in terms of saving time, saving costs and most importantly, saving lives… • Regularly walk around your farm and assess the potential dangers. • If you want
As we’ve seen today, making your farm a safer place to work and live doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In an industry that, this year, recorded almost double the number of fatal injuries, we can all agree that it has never been more important to rethink risk and put safety first. As the UK’s
… but not doing it could cost you your life! Many farmers are happy to invest in their land, livestock and machinery but as we know, they are often reluctant to invest in themselves and their safety: It costs too much I can’t afford it Farming has the poorest safety record of any occupation in