Farm accidents: their causes and the development of a nurse led accident prevention strategy.

The following key facts emerge which are relevant to an accident prevention strategy. HIGH RISK TIMES: Just before lunch and late afternoon. HIGH RISK PLACES: Those places which are most familiar to the farmer, his/her own farm, especially the yard and farm buildings. HIGH RISK ACTIVITY: Working at heights (falls) or with moving objects, tractors and cattle. HIGH RISK PEOPLE: Younger men, especially when not working on their own farm or older farmers working with livestock. The majority of these accidents could have been prevented with the correct use of protective clothing or taking more care. Once an accident has happened, the first aid response is likely to be inadequate. The project team are now working on a strategy to persuade farmers that accidents could happen to them personally and of the seriousness of the consequences if they do. This will be coupled with producing accident prevention materials outlining simple precautions that can be taken to prevent accidents. The final stage is to disseminate these materials through a range of channels involving both NHS, farming and school networks. That is the next stage of the project.