Oxfordshire farmer warns of dangers in the profession, after nearly losing his life
Farming accounts for 1% of the working population, but 20% of all workplace deaths
A farmer from Oxfordshire is raising awareness of the dangers of working in farming after nearly losing his life in a work-related accident.
Figures show farming is the UK’s most dangerous job as 28 people lost their lives on UK farms in the past year.
It’s an industry that accounts for 1% of the working population, but accounts for nearly 20% of all workplace deaths.
Ed Caudwell, aged 25, is an arable farmer near Abingdon who nearly died after severing an artery in his leg almost seven years ago, in an angle grinder accident.
He was in a coma for a week and had to be airlifted to hospital and now wants to raise awareness about the dangers of farming to help prevent future casualties.
Mr Caudwell said: “My biggest regret out of all of it, is I put my family and my friends under a tremendous amount of pressure and stress.
“It's these sorts of things that that weigh in my mind a little bit, even now as it’s still important for me to remind myself of where I was and not to become complacent on the farm.”
He added: " We're often quite pressured with things like the weather and we’re obviously we're quite busy. There can be some long hours involved, extended use of machinery, tiredness, and whatever else – So, it's often the perfect storm.”
Mr Caudwell also says it’s important for farmers to take extra time and care to help prevent casualties and fatalities in the workplace.
He said: “We have to slow things down a little bit. It's really important that we take time to think about potential consequences of what we're doing.
“It is a dangerous job, but there are always things we can do in order just to slow it down and take a moment.”
We're often quite pressured with things like the weather and we’re obviously we're quite busy. There can be some long hours involved, extended use of machinery, tiredness, and whatever else – So, it's often the perfect storm.”
Over the past 13 years, an average of 31 lives have been lost on UK farms each year - 27 farm workers and 4 members of the public, some of whom were children.
Farm Safety Week, is an annual awareness-raising campaign run by UK charity The Farm Safety Foundation, who say reducing serious and fatal injuries is only part of the challenge.
Research carried out by the foundation reveals 81% of farmers in the UK believe that ‘complacency’ is a major contributor to having a farm accident, while 82% cite ‘attitude’ as the major contributor.
Stephanie Berkeley, Farm Safety Foundation manager said: “‘I’ve always done it that way’ is a phrase we hear all too often.
“Although confidence built over years on the land is a strength, it can also become a blind spot. When you start to underestimate the dangers of the vehicles, equipment and animals we know so well, we risk letting routine turn deadly.
“Experience should guide caution, not excuse it.”
She added: “Change doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with one decision, one action, one conversation.
“We owe it to those we have lost. We owe it to those still living with the consequences. And we owe it to the next generation of farmers in the UK and Ireland and beyond.”