Agriculture

The agriculture sector, including forestry, is a key element of economic, cultural and political life in Europe. Many of the workers employed in the sector are injured or killed in workplace accidents or suffer work-related illnesses.

Over 10 million people work in the European agriculture sector. Although their number is on the decline, along with the number of farms, agriculture remains a major employment segment. There are, however, significant differences in the numbers between the fifteen old member states and the ten new states which acceded to the EU on 1 May 2004. Whilst 4% of the old member states' working population are employed in agriculture, the figure in the new member states is 13.4%.  [i]

In 2000, the rate of fatal workplace accidents in the 15 old member states stood at 12.6 per 100,000 workers. The rate of accidents leading to more than three days' absence was 6,000 per 100,000 workers. There is hardly any other economic sector with such high rates. [i]

In order to prevent illness and accidents in the agriculture sector, measures need to be taken to improve the level of occupational safety and health (OSH). Whatever measures are decided on, the workplace risks need to be assessed and the relevant national legislation consulted before they are implemented. 

In Germany, accident insurance in the agriculture sector is provided by the "Berufsgenossenschaft" institutions for statutory accident insurance and prevention in the agricultural sector. These institutions are self-governing public corporations. There are eight regional Berufsgenossenschaft institutions for the agricultural sector and one nationwide Berufsgenossenschaft institution for the horticulture trade. 

The main tasks for which the Berufsgenossenschaft institutions for the agricultural sector are responsible, using all means possible, are preventing occupational accidents and diseases, averting work-related health hazards and ensuring effective first aid is delivered at the workplace.

To get an at-a-glance impression of prevention activities in the agriculture sector, visit the website of the Berufsgenossenschaft institutions for the agricultural sector at:

http://www.praevention.lsv.de/

[i]  Source/Copyright:  European Agency, Bilbao