New IOSH President calls for team effort on farm safety

Speaking yesterday after being confirmed as the 59th IOSH President in its 80-year history, Richard Bate drew attention to agriculture’s prolonged poor performance on health and safety, with the worst record of any UK industry. 

Having grown up in a farming community in North Wales, Richard rues the fact there’s become an ominous acceptance that farming will account for more workers’ deaths and serious injuries than any other industry sector.

“Agriculture might account for only one per cent of the UK workforce, but it’s responsible for 21 per cent of all worker fatalities,” he told this year’s IOSH AGM.

“But I can’t let my IOSH presidential year be just another year in a continued knife-edge existence for agriculture workers. Can you?”

The new President shared how he can trace his family farming history back to the 16th Century and has lived experience of how hard farm tragedies hit rural communities. He recalled some of the more recent tragedies, like the harrowing case of Laura Simmons, the 22-year-old shepherdess from the Cheltenham area, described by her mother as “lively, caring and adventurous”, who lost her life when using an overloaded quad bike that overturned.

He also remembered a 20-year-old farm worker who had his right leg crushed, left broken with nerve and skin damage after it became trapped in a potato harvester.

“These incidents were preventable,” said Richard, adding that “tragically, every industry has its own everyday health and safety nightmares, which are all too dreadful, but farming has way more than its fair share.”

Referring to his farming roots, he explained how “things aren’t always done as safely on farms as they might be, but when it comes to safety, there can never be any excuses.

“But I know that the wider, ever-increasing pressures put on the industry, with their extra burden on farmers’ health mental health, really can’t help. It’s not a question of judging, but it is a time now, surely, for us all to do what we can to support our farmers. After all, they do so much for us.”

Looking at health and safety more widely, Richard also highlighted the International Labour Organization estimate that 7,500 people around the world still die every day from unsafe and unhealthy working conditions.

“There can be a human cost to every single product and service we use, and then there’s the growing and grim impact of mental strain on all workers, including health and safety professionals,” he explained.

“If we’re not careful, this is likely to be exacerbated by new technology and artificial intelligence (AI) as much as this digital innovation will help workers.”

Richard took over the IOSH Presidency from Kelly Nicoll at the AGM on Tuesday 18 November. He brings over 30 years’ global experience in occupational safety and health (OSH). He began his career as a paramedic in the UK Health Service, where he gained valuable experience in emergency response, helicopter aircrew operations, management and training.

A passionate promoter of diversity, equity, and socially sustainable approaches to safety, as President-Elect of IOSH and throughout his career, Richard has contributed significantly to global efforts on harm prevention, safety leadership, and policy development. He is a passionate advocate for the positive value of volunteering through the IOSH global community network. 

Kelly Nicoll now takes up the role of IOSH Immediate Past President, while Vice-President Dr Shaun Lundy is the new IOSH President-Elect, in line to be made President in late-2026. At the age of 26, Macauley Quinn becomes IOSH’s youngest ever Vice-President.