Farm safety conference announced for Dorset County Show

Rural insurance company Cornish Mutual will host a Health and Safety Conference on both days of the show, 3 and 4 September.

There will be a range of presentations on key health and safety issues currently affecting the farming sector, with the opportunity to chat with the speakers and to gain a wealth of up-to-date information.

Agriculture is still one of the most dangerous sectors to work in. Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that 160 people have died in the past five years in the farming, forestry and fishing sectors with 33 fatalities confirmed in 2014/15.

Among the common causes of deaths are farmers being struck by moving vehicles, being fatally injured by animals; falling from heights or being caught in agricultural machinery. Around four per cent of workers suffer an illness each year that they believe to be work related and a further four per cent sustain a work-related injury.

Alan Goddard, Managing Director of Cornish Mutual, said: “We have been driving a programme of practical and informative health and safety days across the South West for many years. This conference aims to offer a bite-size version of these popular events, giving people the choice of which sessions they would like to attend.”

Early bird tickets for the Dorset County Show are currently available. Visit https://dorsetcounty.ticketsrv.co.uk/ to find out more.