Safety call follows tragic death of Neil Abercromby
The death of a Forfar man in a tractor accident on Monday night is a terrible reminder that farming is the "most dangerous" job in the country, the NFU said yesterday.
The tractor involved in the tragedy.
- By Philip Murray
- Published in the Courier : 07.07.10
- Published online : 07.07.10 @ 11.46am
Seventy-year-old Neil Abercromby was crushed to death in a field near Glencarse at 5.15pm on Monday when the tractor he was driving rolled over on a steep slope.
Why the tractor rolled is unclear, but one resident has speculated that recent heavy rain might have made the slope slippery.
A relative said that members of the family were too distressed to talk about the tragic incident.
The National Farmers Union have warned that the tragedy is a bitter reminder that deaths on farms are "appallingly" common across the UK.
No fewer than 38 farm workers died on UK farms last year, and the union has called for extra steps to be taken across the industry to ensure harvesting is made as safe as possible.
An NFU Scotland spokesman said, "Any death on a Scottish farm is one death too many, ripping the heart out of farming families.
"This tragic accident is a sharp reminder to all who work in the industry that farming remains the most dangerous occupation in the country.
"As farmers, we need to wake up to our poor safety record.
"With harvest just around the corner, farmers and their staff need to ensure that their equipment is properly maintained and that all users are properly trained in how any piece of machinery operates.
"Last year, 38 farmers and their staff were killed on UK farms-that is an appalling statistic, but the reality is that most of these deaths were avoidable.
"We need farmers and farm workers to take the extra steps needed to make this harvest as safe as possible and ensure that no more farming families suffer the heartache of having someone killed while working on a Scottish farm."
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