The farming industry, like the Texel Sheep Society is a community, it is a collective of people all working for a common goal.
And while, for much of the time, many work in isolation, everyone is connected to someone else in the community. Be it a family member, friend, colleague, supplier or casual acquaintance.
That’s why safety matters, because an accident doesn’t just affect the person hurt or worse, killed, by it. It affects everyone around them.
Families have to adjust to new ways of living, businesses have to carry on no matter what and friends, neighbours and colleagues have to make the best of the situation.
Sadly, farming continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK and Ireland. The statistics, stark as ever, show farm workers are far more likely to be killed at work than those in other sectors.
Yet beyond these headlines lies a far larger reality: thousands of workers are living with work‑related ill health, many caused by musculoskeletal disorders, and thousands more have suffered injuries that will stay with them for life.
These are not minor injuries. On a farm, there is no such thing as a paper cut!
A fall from height, a crush from machinery, an incident involving vehicles or livestock – any one of these can change the course of a life in seconds. Not always fatally, but often permanently. Chronic pain, reduced mobility, disability or the loss of a livelihood are the consequences many face.
There is a difficult truth at the heart of this issue. Many farmers know the risks they are taking. They are experienced, practical people. But there remains a gap between understanding risk and feeling its consequences. Research suggests that serious injury is not always fully considered in day‑to‑day decision‑making, even though it may be feared as much as, or even more than, death itself.
That disconnect matters.
Because safety is not just about avoiding the worst‑case scenario. It is about preventing harm in all its forms. It is about recognising that “walking away” from an accident is not always the same as being unscathed.
Near misses deserve more attention than they often receive. They are not lucky escapes to be brushed off and forgotten. They are warnings – clear signals that something needs to change before the outcome is far worse next time.
So, this Farm Safety Week, take time to consider the risks of what you’re doing and if needs be find a safer way. For too many there isn’t a second chance, no moment to reassess the plan and see if it can be done a safer way. Too often it’s too late.
Don’t become another statistic in farming’s sorry tale of safety failure. Take a moment and help not just yourself, but everyone around you.
For more information on Farm Safety Week click here.