Shuttleworth College staged free Health and
Safety training session at the parkland estate on Tuesday June 21st
to mark Farm Safety Month.
The event attracted nearly 30 farmers and
agriculture workers who were invited to learn about topics such as
working at height, dealing with heavy machinery and safety for farm
visitors - especially important now so many farms are diversifying
into new business areas.
Sadly deaths and injuries as a result of
accidents are still high compared to other industries and as one of
the UK’s leading land-based learning establishments, Shuttleworth
has supported Farm Safety Month.
Most people in farming know of at least one
person who has suffered from significant injury or worse as a
result of an accident on a farm. The combined impact of these
accidents mean that farming is one of the most dangerous industries
in England.
A range of industry partners have come
together to dedicate June as a month to improve safety levels on
farms across the East of England by running a series of events
during the month to ensure that farm managers and farm workers are
able to reduce the risks entailed through working on farms.
The partnership bringing together the month
include training partners from LandSkills East; Easton College,
Shuttleworth College, Writtle College, Otley College, Anglia Rural
Training, Poultec, British Pig Executive, Federation of Young
Farmers with NFU Mutual, Anglia Farmers, NFU, Health and Safety
Executive, CLA, FACE, InTouch, and CommTech.
"Agriculture is one of the most dangerous
industries in Britain. On average, one farmer is killed almost
every week. Most of the accidents could have been prevented, or
their impact reduced, had simple safety precautions been taken.
Each one is a tragedy for a family, for a business and for the
industry. Farmers face many challenges but need to pause and think
about what they are doing/planning to do and be prepared to seek
advice. Changing behaviours and cultures is essential if there is
to be any sustainable improvement. I very much welcome this
initiative which provides an opportunity for farmers in East Anglia
to hear about how they can reduce the risks in farming for
themselves”
Graeme Walker, Health and Safety Executive,
Head of Agriculture and Food.
The month will start with a launch at the
Suffolk Show on the 1st June where NFU President - Peter Kendall
will tell an invited audience about the importance of improving the
safety record of farming and conclude with a presentation by David
Richardson OBE at the Royal Norfolk Show on the 29th June.
“We obviously take farm safety very seriously
within NFU Mutual Risk Management Services as it's what we deal
with day in day out, and all too often we see the terrible
consequences of serious accidents which affect not only the injured
person but their families and friends for a very long time.
I'm delighted that many companies and
organisations associated with the agricultural industry have joined
together to highlight these issues, but more importantly to do
something about it and collectively with farmers, reduce farm
accidents and protect lives.”
Ian Jewitt, Managing Director NFU Mutual Risk
Management Services Ltd
Additional events and activities will be run
across the month by different delivery partners, to keep in touch
the following website has been set up www.landskillseast.co.uk/farmsafety.
“In the period between 1998 and 2008 there
were 450 fatal accidents in the UK farming industry. This statistic
is shocking enough in itself, but it is when you look behind the
data at the personal stories involved and acknowledge it is our
family and friends who are at risk every day, in the UK's most
dangerous profession we all have a part to play in doing what we
can to mitigate risks to those around us.”
Robert George, Anglia Farmers.