The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is supporting Farm Safety Week 2026, helping to prove that the “poor health and safety record of the industry can change.”
Farm Safety Week in the UK is being observed from 20th-24th July 2026 amid ongoing concerns for the safety of young children and older workers on farming sites.
The HSE recently published the figures for work-related fatalities in Great Britain during 2025-26. These revealed that agriculture, forestry and fishing continues to be the industry sector with the highest rate of work-related fatalities, with 29 people killed, including 7 members of the public, 3 of whom were children.
Britain’s health and safety watchdog says:
“Every farm must take ownership of its health and safety performance by controlling the known risks.”
Children and older workers face particular farm safety risks
HSE figures show that, for the last five years, 9 children have lost their lives on farms in Britain, representing 6% of work-related fatal injuries in the sector. Britain’s health and safety watchdog says this is “particularly unacceptable,” adding that children “should not be in the farm workplace.”
Along with children, older workers are also disproportionately at risk on farms, with workers aged over 65 accounting for 50% of all worker fatalities last year. The HSE says the statistics serve as a “stark reminder” of the particular risks faced by older farmers in a vital but “challenging working environment.”
Britain’s health and safety watchdog highlighted the fact that the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry has averaged 20 work-related fatalities per year for the last 5 years.
This means the fatal injury rate, measured per 100,000 workers, is five times higher than in construction – another highly hazardous industry sector – and 21 times higher than the average for all industries.
The main causes of work-related fatal injuries in farming are moving vehicles, falling objects, falls from height, animals and machinery. The most recent figures show that moving or overturning vehicles alone claimed 8 lives in the sector last year.
‘Meaningful and lasting improvement’ needed for farm safety
The HSE’s Inspector for agriculture, Wayne Owen, commented:
“The continued loss of life, particularly the deaths of nine children on Britain’s farms over the last five years, is both tragic and unacceptable.
“These are not inevitable accidents; many result from risks that could and should be controlled.
“Children, particularly young children, should not be in the farm workplace — they should be in a safe, fenced area such as a farmhouse garden.
“We are also deeply concerned about the number of older workers losing their lives. Over 65s account for half of all worker fatalities.
“Meaningful and lasting improvement will only come through a significant cultural change across the industry — one that starts on every farm and with every farmer.
“HSE will continue to work with industry partners, including Britain’s Farm Safety Partnerships, to drive the cultural change that is so desperately needed.”
The HSE provides free, practical farm safety guidance on its website.
Essential health and safety training
First Response Training (FRT) is one of the UK’s largest and leading national training providers.
They deliver a wide and diverse range of training for businesses and organisations across all industry sectors and throughout the UK. Their course range includes training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, mental health, food safety, health and social care and more.
Their health and safety training is mapped to current UK standards and legislation and follows HSE guidelines. It includes training awards in Health and Safety, Managing and Supervising Risk, Working at Height, Manual Handling, Accident and Incident Investigation, and more.
Based on a common sense, proportionate approach to workplace safety, training helps learners to understand the true benefits of creating a healthy and safe environment at work.
A trainer from FRT explains:
“It is vital that farmers and farm workers are aware of the farm safety risks and how to prevent, reduce and manage them. They should be aware of their role in workplace health and safety, their legal responsibilities and the steps to take to make their site as safe as possible, both for workers and for members of the public.
“Suitable training is paramount to ensuring that farmers foster a positive farm safety culture on site and that they protect themselves, their workers and any visitors from avoidable harm.”
For more information on any of the training courses that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or e-mail info@firstresponsetraining.com.