‘Champion’ award for farm safety advocate

A leading advocate of health and safety in farming has been named as the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s first ever “champion”.

Ahead of next week’s Farm Safety Week, its founder and manager, Stephanie Berkeley, has been described as a “beacon of hope in a challenging sector”.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures released earlier this month show that in terms of deaths per 100,000 workers employed, agriculture continues to be the most dangerous industry sector in the UK.

See also: Farming fatalities continue to blight the industry

Naming Ms Berkeley as the recipient of its inaugural Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Champion award, the organisation said she was an inspirational embodiment of the saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”.

Stephanie Berkeley © Yellow Wellies

She is the manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, also known as “Yellow Wellies”, set up to improve health and safety in farming and reduce the number of farm accidents and suicides.

As well as creating and developing Farm Safety Week, which runs this year from 17-21 July under the theme “Farm Safety Starts With You”, she has also established the ongoing “Mind Your Head” mental health initiative for farmers.

She was nominated for the IOSH Champion award by Alan Plom, another advocate for health and safety in farming.

“To me, she is a ‘beacon of hope’ in such a challenging sector, with its dire record of fatalities and serious injuries to both young and old, often well outside what would be considered a ‘normal’ working age in any other occupation.”