Recent Cases Demonstrate Workplace Risks

A work accident expert at Irwin Mitchell has called for a greater focus to be placed on farming safety after a recent spate of prosecutions related to the agriculture sector.

In the past couple of months, the Health and Safety Executive has revealed details of a number of farming accidents in which workers carrying out duties in and around farms have been seriously injured.

One case in March saw a family partnership which operates a farm in Aberdeenshire fined after a worker’s toe was severed when his foot was trapped in a fertiliser spreading machine.

UK Hops Ltd has also been fined over an incident in which a Suffolk farmworker suffered a serious injury when his hand was caught in a hop press.

In addition, other cases involving farms from across the UK have seen people injured in falls from height.

David Urpeth, national head of workplace injuries at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Along with the construction trade, the farming sector is an area fraught with dangers and one where it is vital that organisations and firms work hard to uphold safety standards.

“This recent spate of fines in relation to a range of farming accidents demonstrates that in some cases employers are still failing to pay the right level of attention to regulations designed to keep workers safe.

“All workers deserve to know their welfare is a top priority for their employers and I hope that lessons can be learnt from these cases which will ensure that such problems are not repeating elsewhere.”