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Work-related deaths in farming five times higher than in construction
HSE figures show that British agriculture recorded 29 work-related deaths in 2025/26, including seven members of the public, three of whom were children
Safety leaders say only a fundamental change in attitudes and working practices will prevent further deaths, stressing that “these are not inevitable accidents”
Agriculture remains the industry with the highest rate of work-related fatalities, with children and older workers disproportionately at risk.
Provisional HSE data for 2025/26 shows that 29 people were killed in agriculture, forestry and fishing with over half of the fatalities involving people aged over 65.
Over the past five years, nine children have lost their lives on Britain’s farms in work-related incidents, representing 6% of all work-related fatal injuries in the sector.
The sector has averaged 28 work-related deaths per year for the past five years and the HSE said that, when measured per 100,000 workers, farming’s fatal-injury rate was five times higher than construction.
Vehicles, falling objects, falls from height, animals and machinery are the main causes of death, with moving or overturning vehicles alone claiming eight lives in 2025/26.
According to the Tenant Farmers Association, a further 8,000 workers suffer non-fatal injuries on farms each year, while 9,000 are affected by work-related ill health, particularly musculoskeletal disorders.
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, noted that the margin between a near miss, a serious injury and a fatal incident is often “frighteningly small”.
She said; “A fall from height, a machinery incident or a vehicle accident can just as easily leave someone living with a lasting disability as it can prove fatal, with consequences that affect the family, the farm business and the wider community.”
Robyn Munt, Vice President, NFU said the figures were a “stark reminder that farm safety is something we must all take seriously”. She said: “We know it can be an intensely pressured job, particularly during harvest when farmers are working around the clock to get crops out of the ground to produce the country’s food. However, even during these extra busy periods it is so important to keep safety at the forefront of our minds.”
Munt said that the NFU was working with others across the industry to make changes to help reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries happening on farms. She said, “Health and safety practices are more than ticking a box.”
She added that this summer’s extreme temperatures increased the risk of wildfires on farmland: “We encourage farmers to combine at night as temperatures remain high to help keep them safe while bringing in the crop this harvest.”
“Meaningful and lasting improvement will only come through a significant cultural change – one that starts on every farm and with every farmer.”
Wayne Owen, HSE Inspector for Agriculture, said that “cultural change was desperately needed”. He described the continued loss of life as “both tragic and unacceptable”.
“These are not inevitable accidents; many result from risks that could and should be controlled,” said Owen. “Children, particularly young ones, should not be in the farm workplace. We are also deeply concerned about the number of older workers losing their lives.
“Meaningful and lasting improvement will only come through a significant cultural change – one that starts on every farm and with every farmer. HSE will continue to work with industry partners, including Britain’s Farm Safety Partnerships, to drive the change in culture.”
