Farming revealed as UK’s most dangerous job, accounting for 1 in every 5 workplace fatalities

In 2024/25 alone, 23 farm workers lost their lives on farms across Great Britain, a grim reminder of the sector’s persistently poor safety record.

The situation is no better in Northern Ireland, where five agricultural workers were killed over the same period, according to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

As the 13th annual Farm Safety Week campaign kicks off, the charity behind it revealed that, over the past 13 years, an average of 31 lives have been lost on our farms every year - 27 farm workers and four members of the public including children.

Farm Safety Week, the annual awareness-raising campaign run by UK charity The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) brings attention to the dangers farmers face every day growing food for the nation. In an industry that accounts for one per cent of the working population, farming accounts for nearly 20 per cent of all workplace deaths – this gives farming the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK.

Figures, released today by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) showed that, in addition to the 23 farm workers, four members of the public lost their lives last year in Great Britain. Tragically, two of the members of the public killed were children – both of whom had accidents whilst using All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). Being killed by moving or overturning vehicles is again the main cause of fatality in the industry in 2024/25.

This annual campaign brings together voices from across the UK and Ireland to reflect on another heartbreaking year for farming families, with lives lost or changed forever and communities deeply affected. This year, the charity has broadened the scope of the campaign and is working with their antipodean counterparts - Farmsafe Australia - to share stories, learnings and make a joint call for simple changes to save lives.

While the agricultural sector has long been associated with high rates of injury and ill health, recent data suggests that meaningful progress is being made in improving farm safety.

Historically, the industry has faced alarming figures, with over 23,000 reported cases of long-term ill-health and serious injuries. However, there are now signs of a positive shift with the number of long-term ill health and serious injuries falling to 18,000.

Furthermore, according to rural insurer NFU Mutual, the number of farm accident claims in the UK dropped from 937 in 2023/24 to 894 in 2024/25. Though modest, this decline is a welcome indication that safety initiatives and awareness campaigns may be starting to have an impact.

Despite the encouraging reduction in claims and reported injuries, the causes of farm accidents remain consistent and concerning. Incidents involving moving vehicles, falls from height, slips and trips, and trapped body parts continue to dominate the statistics. In the past year alone, these types of accidents cost rural insurer NFU Mutual over £48 million.

The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), the charity behind Farm Safety Week, continues to emphasise that reducing serious and fatal injuries is only part of the challenge. The charity highlights the need to address an underlying culture of risk-taking and complacency.

Research carried out by The Farm Safety Foundation revealed that 81 per cent of farmers in the UK believe that ‘complacency’ – always having it done that way – is a major contributor to having a farm accident while 82 per cent cite ‘attitude’ as the major contributor.

Stephanie Berkeley, Farm Safety Foundation Manager, explained: “‘I’ve always done it that way’ is a phrase we hear all too often.

“Although confidence built over years on the land is a strength, it can also become a blind spot. When you start to underestimate the dangers of the vehicles, equipment and animals we know so well, we risk letting routine turn deadly. Experience should guide caution, not excuse it.

“Over the years we have seen the attitudes and behaviours around farm safety in the UK and Ireland starting to change but the pace of change is slow. Too slow for the families who have lost loved ones in preventable accidents. Too slow for the thousands of farmers living every day with chronic pain, long-term illness, or life-altering injuries caused by the very work that sustains our communities. We cannot accept this as the cost of doing business.”

Commenting on the charity’s research, Wayne Owen, HM Inspector of Health and Safety (Agriculture), explained: “Farming is an extremely important but difficult and challenging job. This general complacency towards tasks, and a poor attitude towards keeping people safe and healthy has to change. The responsibility for that change rests with the industry itself.

“Farmers really need to put the health and safety of themselves and others at the heart of what they do.”

He added: “As always, we (HSE) will continue to play our part, but our recently released statistics show the number of fatalities remains stubbornly high. The fact that children continue to be killed on Britain’s farms is also a source of tragedy and sadness and is totally unacceptable. We will keep working with vital partners such as the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) and support initiatives such as Farm Safety Week, however each farm and each industry leader has a part to play in driving the much-needed cultural change in farming.”

Stephanie agreed: “This is year 13 of Farm Safety Week. Thirteen years of stories. Thirteen years of heartbreak. Thirteen years of lives changed forever.

“And still, too many are relying on luck to get home safe. Luck is not a safety strategy. It’s not a plan. It’s not enough.

“This is a plea… to everyone working and living in the industry: please, stop and reflect. Look at your daily routine, your equipment, your mindset. Ask yourself, what can I do today to make my farm safer? For myself. For my family. For the people who work with me.

“Change doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with one decision, one action, one conversation.

“We owe it to those we have lost. We owe it to those still living with the consequences. And we owe it to the next generation of farmers in the UK and Ireland and beyond.”

For more information on Farm Safety Week visit www.yellowwellies.org or follow @yellowwelliesUK on Instagram/Facebook/X using the hashtag #FarmSafetyWeek