Farm Safety Week highlights life-changing injuries
The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) has launched Farm Safety Week 2026 with a renewed call for the industry to look beyond fatal accidents and recognise the devastating impact that serious, life-changing injuries have on farming families and businesses.
Now in its 14th year, the annual campaign comes as new Health and Safety Executive figures show agriculture continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation in Great Britain. Twenty-two farm workers lost their lives during 2025/26, matching last year’s total, while half of those killed were aged 65 or over and 10% of fatalities involved children.
The charity says that while fatalities inevitably attract attention, thousands more people suffer injuries that permanently affect their ability to work and maintain their livelihoods.
Latest HSE figures indicate around 9,000 agricultural workers are currently living with work-related ill health, with musculoskeletal disorders accounting for two-thirds of cases. Around 8,000 non-fatal workplace injuries have also been recorded over the past five years.
Research carried out by the Farm Safety Foundation among more than 400 farmers and agricultural workers suggests many fearsurviving a serious accident more than being killed. Almost half of respondents under the age of 40 said they were more concerned about living with a disability than dying in a workplace incident.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said serious injuries often have consequences that extend far beyond the individual.
“When we talk about farm safety, fatalities understandably dominate the conversation, but serious injuries can be just as life changing. A fall from height, machinery incident or vehicle accident may not be fatal, but can leave someone living with chronic pain, disability or unable to continue farming.”
The campaign also coincides with the UK’s third official heatwave of the summer. Yellow Wellies is warning that high temperatures increase fatigue, dehydration and poor concentration, raising the likelihood of incidents involving machinery, vehicles, livestock and working at height.
Workers are being encouraged to stay hydrated, wear suitable sun protection, take regular breaks and ensure machinery is cleaned and maintained to reduce overheating and fire risks during harvest.
Farm Safety Week will run throughout the week with support from farming organisations, charities and businesses across the UK, encouraging farmers to place safety at the centre of daily decision-making and reminding the industry that preventing serious injury is just as important as preventing fatalities.
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