NAAC launches ‘Have a Break, Tiredness Kills’ campaign

Farmers and contractors are being urged to #HaveABreak during the busy harvest period, as research shows that driver fatigue significantly increases the risk of accidents and fatalities.

The new “Have a Break – Tiredness Kills” safety campaign has been launched by the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) alongside Nestlé and the Farm Safety Partnership, to remind farmers and contractors of the risks associated with working while tired.

See also: Farm safety: Is there a level playing field for women?

© NAAC

The campaign will include a significant burst of communications across Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok to encourage everyone in the industry to share content across all media channels to reach farmers and contractors of all ages.

The campaign comes in light of mounting evidence that shows that agricultural fatalities spike at busy times in the farming calendar, such as lambing and harvest.

© NAAC

Agriculture has the worst safety record of any industry, with the most deaths per 100,000 workers, and an annual average injury rate about 21 times higher than the all-industry rate.

Research conducted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents shows that driver fatigue may be a contributory factor in up to 20% of road accidents, and up to one-quarter of fatal and serious accidents. 

NAAC chief executive Jill Hewitt said the campaign has been a year in the making, and carries important messages for farmers and contractors in the busy months ahead.

“We’re really pleased that Nestlé has supported this and allowed us to use the catch phrase {have a break),” Ms Hewitt explained.

“After the year we’ve had, with the wet weather and the pressure that everyone has been under, we’ve perhaps not had – particularly for contractors – as many breaks between work as we would ordinarily have had in a year.

“As we approach harvest, everybody is under pressure, whether you’re a farmer or a contractor with numerous customers.

“The campaign is to emphasise how important it is to be aware of how many hours you are working and the impact of tiredness.”

Research shows that fatigue results in slower reactions, reduced ability to process information, memory lapses, absent-mindedness, decreased awareness, lack of attention, underestimation of risk, and reduced co-ordination.

It can lead to errors and accidents, ill health and injury, and reduced productivity.