Over half of all work-related vehicle deaths occur on farms

There were 30 vehicle-related deaths at work in 2020 alone.

Ciaran Moran Twitter Email

April 13 2021 02:00 AM

Since 2010, over half of work-related deaths involving vehicles occurred on farms, while 75pc of non-worker deaths involved children on farms.

Those are some of the stark findings of a new Health and Safety Authority (HSA) report into work-related vehicle deaths between 2010-2019.

Agriculture was highlighted as the most dangerous sector in which to work in terms of vehicle safety, with tractors accounting for just over half of deaths in agriculture.

In addition, the evidence suggests that older farmers are most at risk. Of the total work-related deaths involving vehicles reported to the Authority during this 10-year period, 104 (48pc) involved people over the age of 55.

The report also highlights the substantial risk that work-related vehicles pose to children and young people.

Almost half of all non-worker victims were under 18, with the majority of those (75pc) losing their lives on farms.

“We can see from the evidence that work-related deaths involving vehicles increases during the summer months and in particular in the Agriculture sector,” the report said.

Extra vigilant

“Children often help out on farms during their summer holidays and can tragically be the victims of fatal incidents involving vehicles. Farmers and all working on the farm need to be extra vigilant when children are about and ensure all good safety practices are in place to protect the most vulnerable.

“Most children killed on a farm are members of the farmer’s own family, which makes these deaths even more tragic.”

Work-related deaths involving vehicles in agriculture peaked between May and July.

There were fewer deaths in agriculture in the early part of the day, compared with other sectors. Deaths in agriculture peaked around 2pm, and 27pc of all deaths in agriculture occurred from 5pm or later, compared with just 7pc in other sectors.

Of the deaths involving vehicles in agriculture that occurred from 5pm or later, 63pc happened between May and September.

The report also found a higher number of deaths occurred on Saturdays and Sundays in agriculture (26) compared with other economic sectors (16). This may reflect continued farming activity over weekends, when some other economic sectors were less active, the HSA said.