Agriculture has the worst rate of fatal injuries of all the major industrial sectors - around 20 times higher than the average five-year annual rate across all industries.

The new report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that provisional figures from April 1, 2020 until March 31, 2021 show 41 people were killed in agriculture related activities.

This is almost double the number of deaths in the previous year, which was 23.

While the number of people killed fluctuates each year, the five most common causes of fatal injuries over the last five years remain – being struck by moving vehicles, killed by an animal, struck by an object, falling from height and contact with moving machinery.

Transport-related incidents, such as overturning vehicles or being struck by moving vehicles were responsible for more deaths than any other cause.

Older workers are most at risk, with more than half of workers killed aged 60 years or more.

When comparing older and younger age groups, the fatal injury rate is more than four times higher for the 65s and over, compared to the 16-24 age group.

The youngest person killed was a two-year-old child who died after being overcome by slurry fumes.

Acting head of agriculture at HSE Adrian Hodkinson said: “It is not acceptable that agriculture continues to fail to manage risk in the workplace.

"We need everyone to play their part to improve their behaviour, do things the right way and ‘call out’ poor practices whenever they are seen.

“Agriculture will continue to be a priority sector for HSE, which will be achieved through the delivery of HSE’s sector plan for tackling the high rates of injury and ill health.

“It is disappointing to be highlighting another high annual fatality rate in the industry when the causes are well known and the precautions to avoid injury are straightforward.

“There are simple safety measures people should follow to reduce injury like remembering to put on handbrakes, fasten lap belts in cabs, make sure anyone operating a quad bike wears a helmet and receives sufficient training, don’t put cows and calves in fields with public footpaths; and make sure to switch off the power to vehicles or machinery before attempting to carry out repairs.”

In the south west there were eight fatalities.

A 13-year-old child overturned an ATV quad bike and was killed.

She had ridden the farm quad bike to attend to the horses. She died from neck injuries and hadn’t been wearing a helmet.

A 68-year-old self-employed farmer was trampled to death by cattle. He had entered a pen to check on cows about to give birth.

A 64-year-old self-employed farmer was killed when her tractor overturned whilst collecting bales.

While on a slope, she lost control and the tractor rolled multiple times. She was thrown from the cab and died from multiple injuries.

A 80-year-old self-employed farmer was killed when his tractor overturned on a steep slope trapping him underneath.

He was cutting scrub vegetation with a tractor and flail mower. He died from crush injuries.

A 76-year-old self-employed farmer was killed after being caught up on a baler’s unguarded PTO shaft.

He had left the tractor cab with the engine running. He died from serious injuries.

A 63-year-old forestry sub-contractor was killed when he was struck by a falling tree branch.

He was felling Ash trees with his chainsaw when a branch from another tree broke and fell, crushing him.

A 40-year-old farm worker was killed when he was struck by a concrete slab.

He was walking past a barn to fetch cows for milking when a concrete panel became dislodged and fell on him. He died from head injuries.

A 49-year-old worker was killed when he was struck by a falling tree.

He was helping collect the wood from a tree that had been felled, when another nearby tree fell and crushed him.