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Rural safety group welcomes bull danger storyline on The Archers

A rural safety group has welcomed a storyline on The Archers which highlights the dangers of cattle handling.

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The long-running BBC radio drama has in recent days featured a plot line in which farmer Tony Archer was critically injured after being crushed against a wall and then trampled by his bull.

Members of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) Rural Industries Group have long campaigned to raise awareness of safe cattle management.

Agriculture continues to have one of the highest fatality rates in UK industry, with 27 of the 133 workers killed in 2013-14 employed in the sector.

Of those, seven died as a result of coming into contact with cattle. Many others have been injured.

Alan Plom, vice-chair and events coordinator of the IOSH Rural Industries Group, said: “The writers did a good job in highlighting the dangers bulls and cattle can pose to their handlers. It also raised awareness of the risk to children.

“Cattle handling has evolved and the animals are exposed to less human interactions than in years gone by. As a result handlers are faced with a real risk of being injured by their animals.

“Understanding the psychology of the animal, and how handling looks from the animal’s perspective, is becoming more and more important, as is ensuring that a farm has suitable handling facilities.”

IOSH believes there must be a continued effort to make the agricultural industry safer for workers.

IOSH Rural Industries Group recently hosted a workshop on behalf of the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) to showcase the latest techniques and design of handling facilities available to aid safe cattle management.

More than 70 people attended the workshop at Askham Bryan College, near York, and heard the latest thinking behind improving safety while handling cattle.

A selection of photos and audio interviews with key speakers at the event can be accessed on the IOSH Pinterest and Audioboom pages.

To hear the recent episodes broadcast on Radio 4 and to read more about the issues they raise, visit The Archers website.

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