Working safely news: Farmers attend HSE safety event

Category: IOSH Working Safely
Wednesday 24th of February 2010

Farmers are set to attend a special working practices event, which has been organised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

It is thought that hundreds of agricultural workers will attend the talks to hear safety advice, which may also benefit those on working safely courses.

The HSE has chosen to host the course, which features practical demonstrations on subjects including transport, handling livestock and falls from height, in Cumbria as on average a farm employee is injured or killed in the county every 18 days.

Peter Hamer, HSE agriculture inspector in Cumbria, said: "Deaths in agriculture are extremely high, compared to other industries. We need to make sure farmers are doing everything they can to stay safe."

In an attempt to promote safety on the farm across the UK, the industry body has created the Make the Promise campaign, which strives to remind farmers to work safely when they are out in the field.

The scheme recently reached a wider audience when it was featured on the BBC programme Countryfile.

Posted by Sam Lowther

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