Agriculture remains the most dangerous occupation in Britain, with 33 deaths recorded between 1 April 2025 and 1 April 2026.
This marks an increase on the previous year, when 23 workers were killed across the forestry, farming and fishing sectors in Britain, alongside five in Northern Ireland.
Although just 1% of the UK workforce is employed in farming, the sector accounts for around 20% of all workplace fatalities. The fatal injury rate is 22 times higher than the average across other industries.
Since 1 April this year, six agricultural workers have lost their lives in the workplace. One was killed when a raised trailer collapsed on 30 April; another died on 5 May from injuries sustained while repairing a cattle gate.
“We have sadly lost a member of the farming community every week for the last couple of months,” Jill Hewitt, chief executive of the National Association of Agricultural Contractors, told Farmers Weekly. “This is horrific, shocking and becoming far too common.”
The Health and Safety Executive reports on deaths in the workplace every financial year, recording cause of death and the industry sector in which the fatality occurred.
Vehicles remain the leading cause of fatal farm accidents, accounting for around 30% of deaths. Other major causes include machinery, crushing incidents such as collapsing loads or falling bales, livestock – particularly cattle – and falls from height.
The fatal injury rate in agriculture has shown no significant reduction since 1980 and has been described by the Health and Safety Executive’s Head of Agriculture as “stubbornly high”.
Risks are compounded by the remote nature of many agricultural workplaces, where rapid emergency response is often difficult. Self-employed farmers, who frequently work alone without oversight, accounted for 65% of fatal injuries between 2019 and 2024.
Older workers are especially vulnerable, with those over 60 accounting for 40% of fatalities. Children are also at risk, particularly from vehicles. Two children were killed in all-terrain vehicle incidents in 2024/25, underscoring the importance of supervision and constant vigilance when young people are on farms.
Health and safety awareness on the farm
National Farmers' Union (NFU) vice-president Robyn Munt said: “Any fatality on farm is one too many, and my thoughts go out to any family affected by recent tragedy.
“We know as a sector we need to make changes to reduce the number of deaths and serious injury we are seeing reported on farm. We are working hard with our members to make those changes, whilst recognising many are working under pressure and at times in isolation. We must all be mindful of the heightened risks during busy, long work periods, for example during calving, lambing and harvest, and poor mental health, financial worries and business concerns can also prove distracting.
“To help prevent fatalities, our safety campaign asks farmers to take five minutes to assess their situation and the task at hand, and check they have the right safety steps in place for themselves and their workers, in many cases, their family members," adds Munt.
“With everything we do on farm, it is vital that the safety of ourselves and those around us is always at the forefront of our minds. Collectively, we can and we must make a positive change.”
Although the fatality rate in agriculture has risen in Britain, Northern Ireland has seen a slight reduction in the number of fatal incidents, with three deaths reported in 2025/26, compared to five in 2024/25.
Dr Bryan Monson, of the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland, commented:"While this is too high, it does represent a steady overall decline over the past 20 years. Much of this is due to the work of the Farm Safety Partnership NI. In 2011/12, there were 11 fatal incidents in Northern Ireland, which triggered the Farm Safety Partnership NI to launch its first action plan and the working partnership has yielded results. We continue to strive for a ‘zero’ year and sustainable improvements."
