Farm safety and wellbeing
Farming is one of Britain's most dangerous jobs, and it can be a lonely one. Here are the reminders that matter most, and the people who can help when the job gets on top of you.
Why it matters
Most farm accidents are not freak events
Year after year, agriculture has one of the worst safety records of any industry in Britain. The main causes are familiar: vehicles and machinery, livestock, falls from height, and being struck or trapped by something. Most of them are avoidable, and most happen on jobs people have done a hundred times.
What follows is a set of practical reminders, not training and not legal advice. Get properly trained for the machines and chemicals you use, and read the Health and Safety Executive’s farming guidance, which is written for people exactly like you.
HSE: safety in agricultureFive questions before every job
- 1Does anyone know where I am, and when to expect me back?
- 2Is my phone charged, and is there a signal where I am working?
- 3Is the machine off, the keys out and the hand brake on?
- 4Have I got the right kit on: boots, gloves, hearing and eye protection, helmet?
- 5Is there a safer way to do this than doing it alone, tired, or in a hurry?
Working alone? Agree a check-in time with someone, and stick to it.
The big ones
Where people get hurt
Vehicles and machinery
- Never ride where there is no seat, and never let children ride on machines.
- Guards on, PTO shafts covered, engine off and keys out before you clear a blockage or work on anything.
- Quad bikes roll. Wear a helmet, get proper training, keep loads low and take care on slopes.
- Know where everyone is before you reverse or turn, and keep people out of the working area.
Livestock
- Cows with calves, and bulls of any breed, can be dangerous. Never stand between a cow and her calf.
- Use proper handling facilities and give yourself an escape route.
- Wash your hands after handling animals and before you eat. Some infections pass from animals to people.
- Anyone who is pregnant should take advice before helping with lambing or handling newborn or aborted lambs.
Heights and falls
- Treat roofs, especially old sheeting, as fragile until proven otherwise. Roof lights are a killer.
- Use the right access equipment, set ladders properly and tie them off.
- If you can do the job from the ground, do it from the ground.
Slurry, silage and grain
- Slurry gives off gases that can kill in seconds. Never go into a slurry store or tank, and never go in after someone who has collapsed.
- Stay out of grain bins and hoppers when they are running. Grain can bury a person quickly.
- Keep children and dogs away from stores and pits.
Electricity and overhead lines
- Look up before you raise a tipping trailer, a loader or a grain auger. Know where the overhead lines are.
- Do not go near a machine that has touched a line. Stay clear and call for help.
Chemicals and fuel
- Read the label, use the protective kit it asks for, and keep chemicals locked away in their original containers.
- Certain crop-protection products can only be used by people with the right certificate. Get trained.
- Store fuel safely, away from the yard and watercourses.
Children on the farm
A farm is a home and a workplace at the same time. Keep children away from working areas, machinery, stores and stock, give them a safe place to play, and never let them ride on vehicles or trailers.
Look after your head as well
It is not weak to say it is getting on top of you
Long hours, isolation, weather, money worries, paperwork and the feeling that you cannot switch off are part of the job for many farming people. They wear you down slowly, and they are nothing to be ashamed of.
If you are struggling, or you are worried about someone else, talk to someone: a friend, your doctor, or one of the organisations here. They know farming, and they will not judge you.
- Farming Community Network A charity of volunteers who offer a listening ear and practical support to farming people and their families. Visit their site
- RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution) Financial, practical and emotional support for people in farming, in hardship or in crisis. Visit their site
- Yellow Wellies (Farm Safety Foundation) Farm safety and mental health campaigns, with resources for farming families. Visit their site
- Samaritans Someone to listen, day or night, on 116 123. It is free to call from the UK. Visit their site
Talk it over with people who get it
Our community forums are for advice and experience, and they are a friendly place to ask. They are not a substitute for a doctor, a vet or an emergency service.