Opinion: Make 2025 the year for a farm safety cultural shift

It’s a sad and tragic fact that in 2024 too many of you reading this will have known someone, or known of someone, who died farming.

The release of the annual statistics on farm fatalities showing we haven’t made any progress to the fatality rate in 40 years is still shocking.

The fact that you are 21 times more likely to die as a farmer than in any other profession is appalling.

See also: ‘Use your head, use your helmet’ say safety campaigners

Some 23 people left their home at the start of the day and didn’t come back in the year to April 2024.

That’s 23 families and communities that will have been devastated. The shock, the mourning, the funeral – searing experiences for everyone involved.

As a father and an employer, I can only imagine the sickening realisation you feel when you find out that someone you’re responsible for has died. I don’t want to find out.

Dangerous

One of the hardest aspects of this is that we know how challenging and dangerous our sector is.

Nearly all of the deaths in 2024 involved everyday farming activities, and included being struck by vehicles or livestock, falling from height, or electrocution. 

Particularly difficult to see was the number of people killed by quad bikes, six so far this year, possibly the highest number in 16 years.

There’ll be different circumstances to them all, but the common factor was that, so far as I am aware, no one was wearing a helmet.

As a surgeon put it to me recently, “I can fix most things with a bit of time and patience, except heads.”

Why do we do it? Time, pressure, tiredness, lack of money. For sure, agriculture is under some of the greatest financial and physical stress it has known, and this clearly contributes.

It’s easy to think the busy summer months are the danger time. But it’s later, in September, when you’re tired and still working hard on field tasks, that seems to be more deadly.

So, it’s all doom and gloom? We’re not learning? Nothing’s changed? Happily, this isn’t the case.

Despite the unfortunate announcement of the withdrawal of the Health and Safety Executive from proactive farm safety inspections, we have seen record attendance at our NFU farm safety events around the country.

Nearly every county has held one and interest is growing year on year. The conversation has changed, and is continuing to change.

There is wide acceptance that we cannot carry on with the health and safety record our sector has, particularly if we want to attract people to come and work for us.

What can we do in 2025 to embed that cultural change?

First, talk about it, make it part of the conversation – of course, with family and people in your business, but with people around the business too.

Contractors, vets, hauliers. Have you ever asked them if they feel safe in your yard? Don’t lecture, just share good practice, tips and ideas.

Second, train people, online or in person, on how to do a job or use a machine safely.

Set a challenge of getting everyone along to a safety event this year.

Third, get people thinking. Often a few seconds’ thought before doing something is crucial.

The 20 seconds it takes to go and get the helmet or the safety goggles can save a life or an eye.

Remember the three “Ts” – Talk, Train, Think – whatever sticks in your head that will be there when it matters.

Cultural change can and does happen. Farming is a dangerous and difficult business; it doesn’t have to be a deadly one.