33 people were killed on farms in the last year

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says the number of fatalities in agriculture is 18 times higher than the average across other major UK industries. Among the 29 farm workers killed, the biggest cause of death was livestock, accounting for almost a quarter of all fatalities (24%), followed by being struck by a farm vehicle (18%), and trapped by a structure collapsing (15%). Other causes include being struck by an object, falls from height and contact with electricity. Only one death was recorded in the East of England – a 57-year-old worker who slipped and fractured his ankle in the farmyard, and later died from medical complications related to the injury. Four members of the public also died on farms between April 2017 and March 2018, says the report, including two children under the age of 16.