Farming is a hazardous trade, and the law applies to the self-employed farmer as well as the one with staff. This is the short version of what the Health and Safety Executive expects of a livestock farm, and what you must report when something goes wrong.
A farm employer must protect employees and anyone else affected by the work, so far as is reasonably practicable, by assessing risks and acting on them; with five or more employees the significant findings must be written down. Work-related deaths, specified injuries, injuries keeping a worker off for more than seven consecutive days, and some diseases must be reported under RIDDOR: without delay for deaths and specified injuries, and within 15 days for the over-seven-day injuries. Employers' liability insurance of at least £5 million is a legal requirement.
HSE describes farming on its health and safety in agriculture page as a hazardous industry, and agriculture, forestry and fishing as the riskiest sector for fatal injuries. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the 1999 Management Regulations, employers must protect employees and others affected by their work, such as neighbours, visitors and the public, so far as is reasonably practicable. The law does not ask you to eliminate all risk, only to take sensible precautions.
Self-employed farmers are not exempt. HSE lists agriculture as one of six prescribed high-risk activities where health and safety law applies to the self-employed, and the law applies to anyone self-employed who employs others. The pages I used cover Great Britain; in Northern Ireland the regulator is the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland, so check its guidance.
HSE's risk assessment guidance gives five steps: identify the hazards by walking the farm and asking the people who work on it; identify who might be harmed, including children, contractors and new workers; weigh up the risks and decide on precautions, removing the hazard where you can; put the results into practice, serious risks first; then check the controls and review the assessment after significant changes. HSE suggests an annual review date.
If you employ five or more people you must write down the significant findings, and you must consult employees on matters that significantly affect them. Even below five, a short written list of hazards and fixes is worth having for an inspector, an insurer or a new starter.
The usual trap is an assessment written once for an audit and never looked at again. Walk the yard with the list each year, and again when you build a new handling system or take on seasonal staff, as our seasonal workers guide notes.
On vehicles, HSE says transport accidents are the largest single cause of fatal injuries in agriculture, with many caused by inadequate operator training and poor visibility. Its examples point to operator training, restraint systems and helmets, maintained brakes, and keeping people and vehicles apart.
On height, HSE says falls are the second highest cause of death in agriculture, with at least eight people dying from falls from height each year. Fibre cement roofs and roof lights are often fragile, so nobody should work on or walk over one unless platforms or covers can safely support their weight. Ladders are for quick, simple jobs only, and only when no safer method such as a working platform exists.
HSE's July 2026 release on provisional 2025/26 figures names vehicles, falling objects, falls from height, animals and machinery as the main causes of death, and says workers over 65 made up half of worker deaths.
HSE's information sheet Handling and housing cattle (AIS35) says handling always carries a risk of crushing, kicking, butting or goring, and that the risk is higher with animals not handled often, such as hill or moorland cattle, sucklers and newly calved cows. It adds that you should never underestimate the risk from cattle, even with good precautions in place.
Its practical points: every farm handling cattle should have a well-maintained race and a crush suited to the animals; makeshift gates and hurdles are not sufficient; and never treat or work on an animal held by gates alone or otherwise free to move. People should be trained and supervised until competent. There is no legal age limit for handling cattle, but HSE says children under 13 should not normally enter cattle housing or handle cattle, and that you should consider carefully what anyone over 65 can safely do.
Our TB testing guide covers the days cattle go through the crush in numbers.
HSE says employers must provide the information, instruction, training and supervision needed to keep workers safe, and that employers are responsible for paying for training their employees need, during working hours. Recognised standards of training or competence are normally expected for chainsaw use, pesticide application, driving ATVs, operating telescopic handlers and forklifts, sheep dipping and first aid. The Level 2 Award in Safe Working in Agriculture and Production Horticulture (23 guided learning hours) is aimed at anyone working in or joining the sector.
HSE's page does not prescribe how to keep training records, so this part is my advice rather than a rule. Keep a simple log per person: name, what the training was, the date, who provided it, a copy of any certificate and when a refresher is due. Add a line for each new starter's induction.
Compulsory training also belongs in the written statement; see our guide to written statements for farm workers.
RIDDOR requires the responsible person, such as the employer, to report work-related deaths, certain injuries, diagnosed occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences. The accident must be work-related; blame is not a factor.
Specified injuries include fractures other than fingers, thumbs and toes, amputations, crush injuries to the head or torso, loss of sight, serious burns, loss of consciousness from head injury or asphyxia, and scalping needing hospital treatment. An injury that leaves an employee or self-employed person off work or unable to do normal duties for more than seven consecutive days is reportable, the day of the accident not counted, and a member of the public taken directly from the scene to hospital for treatment is reportable too.Among the listed diseases, hand-arm vibration syndrome, occupational dermatitis and occupational asthma (grain dust is the HSE example) are the ones most relevant to farm work. Diseases from biological agents are reportable where there is reasonable evidence of a work link.
HSE says to notify without delay for deaths, specified injuries, non-worker hospital cases and dangerous occurrences, and that the report must be received within 10 days of the incident. Over-seven-day injuries must be notified within 15 days of the accident. A disease is reported as soon as the responsible person receives a diagnosis.
Most reports go through the online RIDDOR forms, and you can download a copy for your records. The telephone line, 0345 300 9923, is for fatal accidents and specified injuries to workers only. A self-employed person's own death on premises where they are the sole owner or occupier does not need reporting.
HSE says it is not an emergency service, so first aid and the emergency services come first and the report after. If you are unsure whether something counts, ask HSE.
HSE says if you have more than 10 employees you must keep an accident book under social security law; smaller farms can use their own record system. You must also record, but not report, injuries leaving a worker unable to do normal duties for more than three consecutive days. Under regulation 12 of RIDDOR, each entry is kept for at least three years. Keep it with your other staff records, stored securely.
Employers' liability insurance is compulsory from the moment you employ anyone. GOV.UK says the policy must cover at least £5 million, come from an authorised insurer, and be shown to employees; being uninsured can cost £2,500 for each day. You need no cover if you employ only a close family member, but see employing family on the farm, because the exemption does not apply to a limited company. Our farm insurance directory lists providers. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
HSE says the written requirement starts at five or more employees. A self-employed farmer working alone is still covered by health and safety law because agriculture is a prescribed high-risk activity. A short written list is good practice.
Work-related deaths, specified injuries such as most fractures, amputations and serious crush injuries, injuries keeping a worker off for more than seven consecutive days, injuries to members of the public taken directly to hospital, and certain diseases and dangerous occurrences. Use the online RIDDOR form.
HSE says to notify without delay for deaths and specified injuries, with the report received within 10 days. Over-seven-day injuries must be notified within 15 days of the accident, and a disease as soon as you have a diagnosis. The day of the accident is not counted in the seven days.
HSE's cattle handling guidance says there is no legal age limit, but children under 13 should not normally enter cattle housing or handle cattle. Consider carefully what anyone over 65 can safely do too. Child employment rules are separate.
GOV.UK says at least £5 million, from an authorised insurer, from the moment you become an employer. The certificate must be visible to employees. You can be fined £2,500 for each day you are not properly insured.