Everything you need to know about health and safety in agriculture

As a direct result of agricultural work, in the last 10 years, almost one person a week has died. Not to mention that many more have been ill or seriously injured by their work. Farmers and employers have now recognised the benefits of trying their hardest to reduce incidents and illnesses amongst their workers, realising how important it is to maintain good health and safety standards.

To be a sustainable farming business, health and safety must be considered fundamental requirements and essential for any farming management. There are so many underlying problems in this industry, more so for people who might be working independently, as they become more vulnerable to more risk and injuries.

There are many different ways in which the agricultural industry can manage risks, which can bring benefits to all parties involved. Some of these benefits are:

• A happier working environment, which results in good morale and improved productivity
• Less injuries and ill health
• The farming business will develop and become more sustainable
• Equipment and machinery will have a longer life as there is less likely to be damage
• The reputation of the business is less likely to suffer

About Injuries and Health in Agriculture

Many people might not think it, but farming is one of the most hazardous industries to work within. There are so many potential dangers that farmers and other workers have to deal with such as large vehicles, machinery, chemicals and livestock. Not to mention that they are exposed to bad weather conditions, loud noises and dust.

Agricultural work can be very physically demanding, which can lead to a range of different health problems, one of the most common ones is severe back pain. The agriculture industry has high rates of fatal injuries, along with forest and fishing which are also high in numbers. The most common causes of death in this industry are:

• Being hit by moving vehicles
• Falling from heights
• Being hit by falling objects
• Machinery
• Drowning
• Injury caused by an animal
• Being trapped by something

When working in such a dangerous industry with a total annual cost of injuries estimated at £190 million, you should always consider life insurance. Cover for these sorts of high-risk occupations should be handled by a specialist insurance company, like Sports FS, which has many years of providing farmers with life insurance.

News Team

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