Farm Accidents

Miss Maynard

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of deaths involving tractors in each year since 1945 with breakdowns showing how many were (a) workers, (b) farmers and their families and (c) children under 16 years of age.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 August 1980, c. 17]: The tables below present statistics relating to fatal accidents with tractors from 1 January 1958 to 31 December 1979.The age limit in respect of children during the period 1958–1972 was 15 years. From 1973 onwards this limit was extended to 16 years of age.

Statistical information for tractor accidents prior to 1976 does not permit any

FATAL ACCIDENTS WITH TRACTORS IN GREAT BRITAIN
Year				Adults	Children	Total
1958	…	…	…	59	6	65
59	…	…	…	51	5	56
60	…	…	…	45	8	53
61	…	…	…	71	5	76
62	…	…	…	65	8	73
63	…	…	…	46	6	52
64	…	…	…	54	7	61
65	…	…	…	54	4	58
66	…	…	…	56	5	61
67	…	…	…	46	4	50
68	…	…	…	49	5	54
69	…	…	…	41	5	46
70	…	…	…	39	10	49
71	…	…	…	43	4	47
72	…	…	…	26	6	32
73	…	…	…	28	8	36
74	…	…	…	23	6	29
75	…	…	…	28	9	37
76	…	…	…	33	3	36
77	…	…	…	26	4	30
78	…	…	…	17	4	21
79	…	…	…	17	5	22

Year				Farmworkers	Farmers and their families	Others ^*	Children	Total
1976	…	…	…	12	19	2	3	36
1977	…	…	…	8	13	5	4	30
1978	…	…	…	5	11	1	4	21
1979	…	…	…	5	9	3	5	22
^* Others covers contractors, members of the public etc.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of people killed and injured, separate figures, in farm accidents in Great Britain in each year since the war, with a breakdown giving the number of workers and the number of farmers and their families, with sub-totals showing children under 16 years, also the totals of hired workers and farmers and their families for those years, and the ratio of deaths against total farm work force

breakdown between agricultural workers and others.

and the ratio reported injuries against total farm work force for each year.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 August 1980, c. 17]: The table attached lists the available statistical information relating to agricultural accidents in Great Britain for the years 1971 to 1979 inclusive.It is not possible to provide information for years prior to 1971 because the statistics of employment relating to agricultural workers are not comparable with subsequent years.

WORKFORCE AND ACCIDENTS IN AGRICULTURE: GREAT BRITAIN 1971–79
			Workforce ^*			Fatal accidents§
							Of which
			Farmers and family workers†	Employees‡	Total	Total	Children║	Employees	All reported accidents to employees	Fatal accidents per 100,000 workforce Columns 3 and 4	Reported accidents to employees per 100 at risk Columns 2 and 7
			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
				thousand			number		thousand
1971	…	…	308	314	622	141	30	53	6·7	22·7	2·1
1972	…	…	308	310	618	100	20	45	6·8	16·2	2·2
1973	…	…	304	313	617	118	27	46	6·2	19·1	2·0
1974	…	…	290	303	593	101	30	33	5·7	17·0	1·9
1975	…	…	287	291	578	100	23	34	5·2	17·3	1·8
1976	…	…	295	290	585	106	21	41	5·3	18·1	1·8
1977	…	…	279	300	580	102	25	32	4·8	17·6	1·6
1978	…	…	281	300	581	72	16	25	4·6	12·4	1·5
1979	…	…	263	294	557	94	24	36	4·1	16·9	1·4
^* MAFF and DAFS June census.
† Excluding the working spouses of farmers, partners and directors (about 50,000) and farmers in Scotland (there are about 30,000 holdings in Scotland).
‡ Including salaried managers and casual workers.
§ Including accidents to members of the public arising from work activities.
║ Under 16; under 15 before 1973.

Volume 990: debated on Thursday 7 August 1980