Risk news

Safety concerns over the agriculture industry have resulted in 200 farmers signing up to a training day in Devon.

Organised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the event is set to go ahead on March 16th 2010 and will include practical demonstrations in potentially dangerous areas such as roof and height work, quad bike use and livestock handling.

The need for the event to take place is highlighted by the fact that one in five work-related deaths across the country occur in the agriculture sector - despite only 1.5 per cent of the population working in the industry.

Rob Pearce, principal inspector for Devon at HSE, pointed out that someone in the UK dies while working in agriculture every other week.

"Deaths in agriculture are extremely high compared to other industries. We need to make sure farmers are doing everything they can to stay safe," he said.

Previously, the regulatory body has warned workers in the sector of the potential danger posed by rotating arm bale wrappers.

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