As Farm Safety Week returns for its 14th year, the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) is urging the agricultural sector to confront an often-overlooked reality: while fatalities dominate headlines, serious injuries on farms are leaving thousands of lives permanently altered every year.
Led and funded by the Farm Safety Foundation, this year’s campaign shines a spotlight on the long-term consequences of non-fatal incidents – injuries that farmers, workers and their families must live with long after public attention fades.
Latest data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) shows that farming continues to have the poorest safety record of any industry in the UK. In 2025/26 alone, 22 workers lost their lives across England, Scotland and Wales. Agricultural workers are around seven times more likely to be killed at work than those in construction, and 21 times more likely than the all-industry average.
However, fatalities represent only part of the picture. Thousands more workers suffer serious injuries and ill health each year, often with life-changing consequences. Around 9,000 people in the sector are currently experiencing work-related ill health, with 67% linked to musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, an estimated 8,000 non-fatal workplace injuries have occurred over the past five years.
Despite these figures, there are signs of progress. According to NFU Mutual, farm accident claims fell slightly from 894 in 2024/25 to 868 in 2025/26. Encouragingly, younger workers appear to be responding to safety messaging, with under-40s accounting for 20% of claims, down from 23% the previous year.
Yet behind every statistic is a personal story. A recent survey conducted by the Farm Safety Foundation between May and June 2026 suggests that many farmers fear surviving an accident more than dying in one. Of the 408 respondents, nearly half (49.7%) of those under 40 said they were more concerned about being left with a disability than losing their life. Among older respondents, 51.7% shared this concern, compared to 31.4% who feared death more.
This highlights a critical challenge: while farmers understand the risks they face, there is often a lack of emotional connection to the potential consequences, meaning dangers are not always fully considered in day-to-day decision-making.
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “When we talk about farm safety, fatalities understandably dominate the conversation, but serious injuries can be just as life-changing. The reality is that there is no such thing as a minor injury on a farm – the margin between a near miss, a serious injury and a fatal incident is often frighteningly small.
“A fall from height, an encounter with machinery, or a vehicle incident may not result in death, but they can leave someone living with chronic pain, reduced mobility or an inability to continue working. That impact extends far beyond the individual, affecting families, farm businesses and entire communities.”
This year’s campaign also coincides with the UK’s third official heatwave of 2026, adding further pressure to an already high-risk industry. Agricultural workers are exposed to five to ten times more sunlight annually than indoor workers, placing them among the highest-risk groups for sun-related illness. The sector accounts for 23% of occupational skin cancer deaths, equating to around one farm worker every month.
Extreme heat also increases the likelihood of accidents. Dehydration, fatigue and reduced concentration can all contribute to mistakes when working with machinery, vehicles, livestock or at height – hazards already responsible for the majority of serious and fatal incidents.
In response, the Farm Safety Foundation is encouraging those working outdoors to take simple but potentially life-saving precautions, including wearing protective clothing, using SPF30 sunscreen, staying hydrated, taking regular breaks and ensuring machinery is well maintained and fire risks are managed.
Berkeley added: “If we are serious about making farms safer, we must broaden the conversation. Preventing harm – not just death – has to be the goal. By bringing the human stories behind the statistics into the open, we can create the kind of connection that drives real behavioural change.”
Throughout the week, Farm Safety Week 2026 will challenge the misconception that only fatal incidents matter, working with farmers, families and industry bodies to promote awareness, education and action across the rural community.
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Because on farms, injuries do not have to be fatal to be life-changing.
For more information on Farm Safety Week visit www.yellowwellies.org or follow @yellowwelliesUK on Instagram/Facebook/X using the hashtag #FarmSafetyWeek
