THOUSANDS of farmers and agricultural workers are living with the consequences of serious injuries and work-related ill health, as a national campaign calls for greater attention to be paid to those who survive accidents on Britain’s farms.
Farm Safety Week returned for its 14th year on Monday, July 20, with organisers warning that serious and life-changing injuries can have a devastating impact on farmers, their families and rural businesses long after an accident has occurred.
Led and funded by the Farm Safety Foundation, also known as Yellow Wellies, this year’s campaign is focusing on the long-term consequences of accidents which leave people living with disabilities, chronic pain, reduced mobility or unable to continue working.
The campaign comes as agriculture continues to record one of the poorest workplace safety records of any industry.
According to Health and Safety Executive figures, 22 workers lost their lives on farms across England, Scotland and Wales during 2025/26.
Workers in agriculture, forestry and fishing are around seven times more likely to be killed at work than those employed in construction and 21 times more likely than the average across all industries.
Around 9,000 workers in the sector are also suffering from work-related ill health, with more than two-thirds of cases linked to musculoskeletal disorders.
An estimated 8,000 non-fatal workplace injuries have occurred during the past five years.
However, figures from rural insurer NFU Mutual show a small reduction in farm accident claims, falling from 894 in 2024/25 to 868 during 2025/26.
The proportion of claims involving workers aged under 40 also fell from 23 per cent to 20 per cent.
The Farm Safety Foundation says statistics alone fail to demonstrate the lasting impact accidents can have on individuals and their families.
A survey of 408 farmers and agricultural workers carried out by the charity during May and June found many respondents were more concerned about surviving an accident with a life-changing disability than being killed.
Among respondents aged under 40, almost half said they were more worried about being left with a disability, compared with 36.6 per cent who feared dying in an accident.
A similar pattern was recorded among older respondents, with 51.7 per cent concerned about disability and 31.4 per cent more worried about death.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “When we talk about farm safety, fatalities understandably dominate the conversation, but serious injuries can be just as life-changing.
“The reality is that there is no such thing as a papercut on a farm and the margin between a near miss, a serious injury and a fatal incident is often frighteningly small.
“A fall from height, an encounter with machinery, a vehicle incident – these don’t always result in death, but they can leave someone living with chronic pain, reduced mobility, disability or an inability to continue working.
“That impact doesn’t stop with the individual; it affects the family, the farm business and the community as a whole.”
This year’s campaign also coincides with the UK’s third official heatwave of the year, prompting warnings about the additional dangers facing people working outdoors.
Agricultural workers can receive between five and ten times more annual sun exposure than those working indoors, while farming is among the occupations most at risk from deaths linked to sun exposure.
Agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of occupational deaths linked to sun exposure, equivalent to around one farm worker dying from skin cancer each month.
Extreme temperatures can also increase the risks of dehydration, heat stress and fatigue, potentially leading to poor concentration and mistakes while working with machinery, vehicles, livestock or at height.
The Farm Safety Foundation is urging agricultural workers to protect themselves by wearing appropriate clothing and hats, regularly applying sunscreen of at least SPF30, drinking plenty of water and taking sufficient breaks.
Workers are also being encouraged to regularly check their skin for unusual or changing moles and spots, maintain machinery during harvest and remain alert to the increased risk of overheating equipment and fires.
Stephanie added: “If we are really serious about making our farms safer, we must broaden the conversation.
“We must take injuries just as seriously as fatalities and recognise that preventing harm, not just death, has to be our goal.
“And we must bring the people behind the statistics into the open, not to alarm, but to connect. Because connection is what changes behaviour.”
Throughout Farm Safety Week, the charity will work with farmers, families, agricultural organisations and rural communities to encourage greater discussion, education and action around preventing serious and fatal accidents on farms.
