Farming Remains Britain's Deadliest Profession: New Figures Reveal Alarming Safety Record

Strategic Insights -

Farming remains an extremely hazardous profession in Britain, with 23 workers losing their lives on farms across Great Britain in the 2024/25 period. This tragic figure represents nearly half of farm workers who were over the age of 65. The Farm Safety Week, an annual awareness campaign by UK charity The Farm Safety Foundation, has highlighted the dangers faced by farmers, including accidents while using All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). The poor safety record of farming has been highlighted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), which has released figures showing that farming accounts for nearly 20% of all workplace deaths in the UK. Despite some positive trends, including a decrease in long-term ill health and serious injuries, and a drop in farm accident claims, the industry still faces significant challenges in addressing its culture of risk-taking and complacency.

Key Takeaways:

  • 23 farm workers lost their lives on farms across Great Britain in the 2024/25 period, with nearly half of them being over the age of 65.
  • The Farm Safety Week campaign revealed that, on average, 31 lives have been lost on farms every year over the last 13 years, including 27 farm workers and four members of the public, including children.
  • Farming accounts for nearly 20% of all workplace deaths in the UK, making it the profession with the poorest safety record, despite representing only 1% of the working population.
  • The main cause of fatalities in the industry is being killed by moving or overturning vehicles.
  • The number of long-term ill health and serious injuries has fallen from over 23,000 to 18,000.
  • Farm accident claims in the UK have dropped from 937 in 2023/24 to 894 in 2024/25, according to rural insurer NFU Mutual.
  • The Farm Safety Foundation emphasizes the need to address the underlying culture of risk-taking and complacency in the industry.

Statistics:

  • 23 farm workers lost their lives on farms across Great Britain in the 2024/25 period.
  • 47.8% of farm workers who lost their lives in 2024/25 were over the age of 65.
  • The average number of lives lost on farms every year over the last 13 years is 31.
  • Farming accounts for nearly 20% of all workplace deaths in the UK.
  • The number of long-term ill health and serious injuries has fallen from 23,000 to 18,000.
  • Farm accident claims in the UK dropped from 937 in 2023/24 to 894 in 2024/25.

Sources:

  • "Farm's plan to host weddings refused" - No date mentioned
  • "32 homes to be built on farm site" - No date mentioned
  • The Farm Safety Foundation (No date mentioned)
  • Health & Safety Executive (No date mentioned)
  • NFU Mutual (No date mentioned)