Health & Safety
Management for
Agriculture
Farming is the most dangerous industry in the UK — 20 times the average fatal injury rate. As a farm owner or landowner you carry significant legal responsibilities. Safety Nation helps you meet them — practically, without drowning in paperwork.
than industry average
deaths — just 1% workforce
2023–24 alone
programme now under way
Agriculture — The Most Dangerous Industry in the UK
The risks on farm are well understood. The consequences of not managing them are not always.
- →27 deaths on GB farms in 2023–24
- →Agriculture accounts for 20% of all workplace deaths despite just 1% of the workforce
- →Fatal injury rate is 20 times higher than the all-industry average
- →HSE estimates up to 10,000 unreported injuries per year in agriculture alone
- →Total annual cost of agricultural injuries to society: £190 million
- →HSE national farm inspection campaign is actively under way
The risks — vehicles, machinery, livestock, chemicals, working at height, lone working — are present every single day. Most accidents are preventable. The difference between an incident and a tragedy is almost always management.
Key Benefits of Managing H&S in Agriculture
- ✓Protect your workers, family members and visitors from serious injury or death
- ✓Fulfil your legal duties as an employer under HSAWA 1974 and Management Regulations 1999
- ✓Meet Red Tractor assurance requirements — H&S documentation is mandatory for certification
- ✓Reduce costs from incidents, insurance claims, lost productivity and HSE enforcement
- ✓Demonstrate compliance to buyers, retailers and supply chain partners
- ✓Manage contractor and visitor safety — and protect yourself from landowner liability
- ✓Ensure COSHH compliance for pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers and fuel storage
- ✓Give yourself and your team confidence to continue operating safely and sustainably
Complete H&S Management for Farm Businesses
Machinery & Vehicle Risk Assessments
Tractors, telehandlers, PTO shafts, ATVs and all on-farm machinery — documented risk assessments and safe operating procedures.
Livestock Handling
Cattle, sheep, pigs and equine — safe systems of work, handling procedures and risk controls to prevent injury from animals.
COSHH Assessments
Pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, slurry gases, fuels and all hazardous substances — fully compliant COSHH assessments and storage records.
Contractor Management
Pre-qualification, induction documentation and contractor packs — protecting you as the landowner from liability for third-party work on your land.
H&S Policy & Documentation
Bespoke farm H&S policy, management system, toolbox talks, accident reporting procedures and all supporting documentation.
Audits & Site Visits
Regular planned visits to inspect your farm, verify compliance, identify risks and produce written reports — audit-ready at all times.
If a Contractor Has an Accident on Your Land — You Could Be Liable
This is one of the most misunderstood areas of farm H&S. Many landowners assume that because a contractor is self-employed or has their own insurance, responsibility ends at the farm gate. It does not.
As a landowner or occupier, you have a legal duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Occupiers' Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 to ensure that contractors working on your premises are not exposed to risks that you have failed to identify or control.
You must ensure the premises are safe for those working on them — including contractors, seasonal workers, hauliers, vets, agronomists and any third party visiting or working on your land.
Before any contractor starts work, you are legally required to provide information on site-specific risks — buried services, asbestos, vehicle routes, livestock hazards, restricted areas and emergency procedures.
It is not enough to tell a contractor about a risk. You must have suitable control measures in place and documented evidence that you have done so — before work begins, not after an incident.
HSE fines for agricultural businesses regularly exceed £50,000. Civil liability claims from injured contractors can be far higher. Without documented risk controls, your defence is severely compromised.
What proper contractor management looks like: A pre-qualification process to verify the contractor's competence and insurance. A site-specific induction covering hazards, emergency procedures and restricted areas. A documented method statement or risk assessment for the work being carried out. Ongoing supervision and a clear record that all steps were completed. Safety Nation provides all of this as part of our H&S management service.
Red Tractor Compliance & H&S Management
Red Tractor is the UK's largest farm assurance scheme with over 53,000 assured memberships across more than 40,000 sites. For most farmers selling into UK supermarkets and major retailers, Red Tractor certification is not optional — it is a commercial necessity.
Red Tractor standards require members to demonstrate compliance across food safety, animal welfare, environmental protection and health & safety. Inspections are carried out on an annual or 18-month cycle — unannounced spot checks are also made. Poor H&S records are a common reason for non-compliance findings.
- ✓Written H&S policy appropriate to the size and nature of the farm business
- ✓Risk assessments for all significant activities including machinery, livestock and manual handling
- ✓COSHH assessments and records for all chemicals, pesticides and hazardous substances
- ✓Training records for employees demonstrating competence for their roles
- ✓Accident records and near miss reporting procedures
- ✓Evidence that documentation is reviewed and kept up to date
How Safety Nation Supports Your Red Tractor Audit
- →We produce and maintain all required H&S documentation in audit-ready format
- →Risk assessments are tailored to your specific farm, activities and hazards
- →COSHH assessments cover all products in use on your holding
- →We update documentation when activities, chemicals or team members change
- →Pre-audit review to make sure everything is in order before your inspector arrives
- →Support addressing any non-conformances raised during inspection
Whether you are applying for Red Tractor for the first time, preparing for your next inspection, or have received non-conformances around H&S documentation — Safety Nation can help you get compliant and stay compliant.
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