In the last ten years, almost one person a week has been killed as a direct result of agricultural work. Many more have been seriously injured or made ill by their work.
People have a right to return home from work safe and sound. Good farmers and other employers recognise the benefits of reducing incidents and ill health among their workers; they are also aware of how else good health and safety can benefit their business, encouraging them to aim for and maintain good standards of health and safety.
Health and safety is a fundamental requirement of a sustainable farming business and should be regarded as an essential part of farm business management. Unwise risk-taking is an underlying problem in the industry and those working on their own are especially vulnerable.
The personal costs of injury and ill health can be devastating. Life is never the same again for family members left behind after a work-related death, or for those looking after someone with a long-term illness or serious injury caused by their work.
Managing risks in a sensible way protects you, your family, your workers and your business and can bring with it the following benefits:
- a reduction in injuries and ill health and the resulting financial and personal costs;
- improved productivity, good morale and a happier, healthier workforce;
- better farming practice to help develop a sustainable farming business;
- the ability to carry out weather-critical operations at the right time;
- reduced sickness payments and recruitment/training costs for replacement workers;
- reduced loss of output resulting from experienced and competent workers being off work;
- longer life for equipment and machinery;
- less chance of damage to machinery, buildings and products;
- lower insurance premiums and legal costs;
- less chance of enforcement action and its costs, e.g. the cost of dealing with an incident and/or fines;
- reduced risk of damage to the reputation of the business.
