A report from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority shows that 22 people have lost their lives in work accidents in agriculture in the last five years. In 19 of the accidents, the deceased was working alone when the incident occurred.
Fatal accidents in agriculture – a continuing challenge
Over the past decade, the agricultural industry has had an average of 4.5 fatal accidents per year. The highest number was recorded in 2015, when seven people lost their lives. The lowest number was in 2023, with two deaths.
The figures appear in the report Occupational Injury Deaths in Agriculture , which analyzes developments over the past eleven years.
The report follows up on a previous study from 2020, which looked at work-related fatalities in four industries: agriculture, manufacturing, transportation and storage, and construction. The new report takes a closer look at the causes, circumstances, and trends in fatal accidents in agriculture from 2020 to 2024.
Who is affected?
Of the 22 fatalities between 2020 and 2024, 21 were men and 21 were Norwegian citizens.
As many as six out of ten were independent farmers who worked on their own farm.
Other groups that lost their lives were four family members of the farmer and four relief workers or farmers who worked on another farm.
One person died while performing work in an industry other than agriculture.
This characterizes the accidents
- 22 deaths occurred as a result of 21 accidents – one of the incidents claimed two lives.
- Crushing and entrapment accidents were the most common type of accident, accounting for 43 percent of cases.
- Accidents involving moving vehicles accounted for 19 percent.
- Tractors were involved in almost a third (29%) of the accidents.
- In nine out of ten cases, the deceased was working alone.
Working alone – a major risk factor
– When so many fatal accidents occur while working alone, it shows how important it is to avoid working alone in high-risk tasks, such as maintenance and animal care, says Ingvill Kvernmo, Director of the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority.
She emphasizes the importance of identifying risks and implementing preventive measures, such as using technical aids to avoid climbing into silos or manure cellars alone, or providing secure gates and locking mechanisms between animals and workers.
“Working alone is still far too common in agriculture, even in tasks with a high risk of accidents. This is something we need to change,” says Kvernmo.
Greater need for systematic prevention
The report points to the need for farmers and agricultural employees to work more systematically and systematically with safety.
It is especially about carrying out thorough risk assessments and identifying dangerous work operations.
– Questions like “Is it safe to do this alone?” or “What could go wrong if something gets stuck or the animals react unexpectedly?” should be part of the risk assessment, says Kvernmo.
Even simple measures can save lives.
– An example is the seat belt in a tractor. It may seem like a small detail, but we know that several fatal accidents could have been avoided if the driver had used the belt, she concludes.
