July and August are some of the busiest months for the UK’s land-based industries. Farms are in full swing, contractors are out every day, and groundworkers are racing against the weather to get the job done. At Newlands Training, we know that means fewer bookings for training – and that’s exactly why now is the right time to talk about safety.
This month marks Farm Safety Week, a national campaign from the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) aimed at raising awareness about the ongoing risks in agriculture and rural industries. While businesses are stretched to capacity, the spotlight is being put on the one thing no employer can afford to ignore: the safety of their people.
When Pressure Increases, So Do the Risks
The reality is sobering. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), agriculture remains the deadliest industry in the UK relative to its workforce size. In 2023/24 alone, 21 people lost their lives on farms in Great Britain — a figure that has barely shifted in the last decade. Add to that the thousands of non-fatal injuries reported each year, and it becomes clear that health and safety is far from a tick-box exercise.
While many of these incidents involve machinery, vehicles, and manual handling, others come down to something even simpler: tiredness, complacency, and lack of training — especially during peak season.
Training Often Gets Delayed — But It Shouldn’t Be Forgotten
At Newlands Training, we see a familiar pattern every summer. Training requests dip not because it’s unimportant, but because everyone’s too busy. It’s understandable — you can’t take key people off the job when you’re running flat out.
But that delay often comes at a cost. Seasonal staff are rushed into roles with minimal induction. Permanent teams are stretched thin. And time for refresher training gets pushed back to “later” — sometimes too late.
That’s why Farm Safety Week matters. It’s a reminder to stop, look, and ask: Are we doing enough to keep our teams safe?
A Practical Step Forward – Free ATV Training Bursaries
As part of this year’s campaign, Lantra has launched a national bursary scheme to offer 100 fully funded ATV training places across the UK. It’s a direct response to one of the most persistent risks on farms — the unsafe use of ATVs and RTVs.
At Newlands, we regularly deliver Sit-In ATV training, and we’ve seen first-hand how even experienced operators benefit from professional instruction. These bursaries help remove one of the most common barriers to training — cost — and we encourage all eligible businesses to take advantage. You can read more about the initiative on Lantra’s website.
What Employers Can Do Right Now
Even if you’re too busy to train this month, you can still act now by planning ahead. Whether it’s First Aid, COSHH, Working at Height or Risk Assessment training, now is the perfect time to:
- Review who in your team is due for refresher training
- Book in-house courses for the autumn when workloads ease
- Use quieter post-harvest periods to upskill new or seasonal staff
- Take stock of your risk assessments and legal obligations
We offer flexible delivery to suit your business — either at your premises or at our Dorset-based training centre.
Build a Safer Season Ahead
Farm Safety Week isn’t just a campaign — it’s a prompt. A moment in the year to say: “We’re doing well, but could we do better?” And with such a high-pressure summer still ahead, there’s no better time to prioritise your team’s knowledge, confidence, and safety.
If you’re ready to get proactive about safety — even if the training happens a little later — now is the time to speak to us. Because making time for training now means fewer incidents later.
Newlands Training – Practical training that fits around your season, your team, and your responsibilities.
📞 Contact us today to discuss your autumn training plan or explore our full course list.
