Fatal Injuries in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

Published on September 24th, 2021 | by Health & Safety Department

The Health & Safety Executive have published the latest statistics and most common causes for fatal injuries within the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors.

• Struck by a moving vehicle was the most common cause of fatal injury in agriculture
• Figures published in the Health and Safety Executive’s report ‘Fatal injuries in agriculture, forestry and fishing in Great Britain 2020/21’ show 41 people were killed as a result of farming and other agriculture-related activities during the year
• Transport – overturning vehicles or being struck by moving vehicles, caused most deaths
• Agriculture has the worst rate of worker fatal injury (per 100,000) of all the main industry sectors, with the annual average rate over the last five years around 20 times as high as the all-industry rate
• More than half of the workers killed were aged 60 years or older
• The youngest person killed was a 2-year-old child

The Key points to take from 2020/21 are:

Number of deaths:

• Forty-one (41) people were killed in agriculture:
• 18 more than last year and 8 more than five-year average (33)
• Highest number of deaths recorded in last 5 years

Age:

• More than half of the workers killed were aged 60 years or older
• The youngest person killed was a 2-year old child

Main cause:

While the number of deaths by each cause varies each year, the five most common remain as:

• Struck by moving vehicles
• Killed by animals
• Contact with machinery
• Struck by an object
• Fall from height

For information and further statistics and references please visit the HSE here.

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