THE number of farming deaths in the last year has dropped, according to new figures.

In the North West, there were only three deaths in the agriculture industry, including one in Lancashire where a farmer was killed after being struck by lightning while inspecting his dairy herd in a field.

Roger Kendrick, the Health and Safety Executive's principal agricultural inspector for the region, said: "It is encouraging that only three of the 48 fatal accidents nationwide were in our region and this continues the better than average record of the North West over the last few years.

"This reflects once again the good standards of health and safety achieved by the region's farmers, but continued training and provision of information on key health and safety issues are vital and farmers must not let standards drop if this record is to be maintained."

The HSE say that despite a drop in the overall number of farming-related deaths compared to the previous year, they are concerned about the rise in the proportion of employees killed.

Between 1994 and 1995 there were14 farm employees killed, and 21 in the current year.

David Mattey, the chief agriculture inspector, said: "The estimated rate for all industries put together and even that for the construction industry which is traditionally associated with high fatality rates are both dwarfed by that for agriculture.

"Agriculture can and must do better in reducing risk."

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