July 20, 2026 - 191 views
Farmers across North Wales are being urged to put safety first as Farm Safety Week 2026 gets underway, with new figures showing agriculture continues to have the worst workplace safety record of any industry in the UK.
The annual campaign, led by the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), is focusing this year on the often-overlooked impact of life-changing injuries suffered on farms, warning that the consequences can affect families, businesses and entire rural communities for years.
The message is particularly relevant in North Wales, where farming remains a cornerstone of the rural economy.
New statistics released for the campaign show that 22 farm workers lost their lives across England, Scotland and Wales during 2025/26, matching the previous year's total and underlining the industry's ongoing safety challenges.
The figures also reveal that agriculture, forestry and fishing workers are around seven times more likely to be killed at work than those in construction and 21 times more likely than the average worker across all industries.
Half of those killed were aged 65 or over, while one in ten fatalities involved children.
Organisers say the headline figures only tell part of the story, with thousands more farm workers suffering injuries that permanently affect their ability to work and live independently.
A survey of more than 400 farmers and agricultural workers across the UK found many fear surviving a serious accident with life-changing injuries more than losing their lives. Nearly half of respondents under 40 said they were more concerned about ending up with a disability than dying in an accident.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said serious injuries can have consequences that last a lifetime.
"When we talk about farm safety, fatalities understandably dominate the conversation, but serious injuries can be just as life-changing," she said.
"A fall from height, an encounter with machinery, a vehicle incident - these don't always result in death, but they can leave someone living with chronic pain, reduced mobility, disability or an inability to continue working."
The campaign comes as North Wales, like much of the UK, continues to experience periods of hot weather during the summer, bringing additional risks for those working outdoors.
Farm safety experts warn that dehydration, fatigue and heat stress can reduce concentration and increase the likelihood of accidents involving machinery, vehicles, livestock and working at height.
Workers in agriculture are also exposed to significantly higher levels of sunlight than most other occupations. According to campaign organisers, agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of occupational deaths linked to sun exposure, with around one farm worker dying every month from skin cancer caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
The charity is encouraging farmers and agricultural workers to stay hydrated, take regular breaks, wear suitable protective clothing and sunscreen, and ensure machinery is properly maintained during the busy summer period.
Farm Safety Week runs throughout the week and aims to encourage conversations about safety, wellbeing and risk-taking across farming communities in Wales and the rest of the UK.
Organisers say the goal is simple: to ensure that more people return home safely from work every day and to reduce the number of families affected by avoidable tragedies on farms.
