Recommendations to reduce farming fatalities

With agriculture continuing to have the highest incidence of fatalities in major industries across the UK and worldwide, IOSH’s Rural Industries Group has organised this one-day event on behalf of England’s Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) to highlight ways in which occupational safety and health professionals can improve their communications to be more effective in influencing health and safety on farms.

The FSP aims to halve the number of farm-related deaths by the end of the 2023/2024 reporting year. 33 people were killed in the agricultural sector in 2017/18, with the most common causes being incidents involving cattle, moving vehicles and machinery.

Alan Plom, conference convenor and Chair of IOSH’s Rural Industries Group, said, “No matter how experienced we are, we can always learn something new. Attending this event will help to make us all better at targeting and communicating our messages, and to be more effective in what we do - as individuals, within our businesses, and collectively across the industry - to really make a difference and save lives in farming and other sectors.”

The conference programme includes HSE and industry speakers sharing good practice techniques on the latest research and findings, including effective procedures on how to communicate important key safety messages to farmers, farm workers and their families.

Delegates will receive valuable information and tools to enable them to be more effective in influencing behaviour, changing workplace culture and encouraging sustainable improvements in farming practices and ultimately in helping to reduce deaths, injuries and ill health in agriculture.

An exhibition will be running during the event, promoting IOSH’s No Time to Lose campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of occupational cancer. The exhibition will also highlight the importance of good mental wellbeing and other ongoing health issues in farming.

The conference, titled ‘Effective communications to improve health and safety on farms’, is organised by IOSH’s Rural Industries Group on behalf of England’s Farm Safety Partnership.

It takes place on Wednesday 1 May at Woodland Grange, Old Milverton Lane, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6RN. This is a not-for-profit event and charges are to cover the costs of running the event.

For more information and to register for the event visit the website here: https://bit.ly/2Upiz5L (Registration closes midday Monday 29 April).