Farm safety organisations in the UK have criticised a recently shared promotional picture for season two of Clarkson's Farm for poor safety behaviour.
The photo (top right in the below tweet) shared on social media shows Kaleb, Clarkson's farm employee and show sidekick, sitting in an attachment on the front linkage of a tractor.
In light of the number of deaths on farms every year, especially the amount involving machinery, the photo has been called "hugely disappointing".
Elizabeth Creed, vice-chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) rural industries group said:
"This photograph was hugely disappointing and it’s frustrating that the team at Clarkson’s Farm didn’t recognise that their platform has huge potential for influencing and encouraging a positive safety culture in farming.
"The sad and worrying fact is that, in Ireland, farms only make up 5-6% of the country’s workforce but up to 50% of all Irish workplace deaths. In addition, around 2,800 non-fatal accidents causing injury take place each year on Irish farms.
"Sadly, it’s also a fact that more than half of all farm deaths in Ireland involve tractors, vehicles and other farm machinery; that means over 50% of all vehicle-related fatalities at work in Ireland occur on farms."
It required hiding in piles of potatoes and behind hay bales, but we’ve finally got some pics of #ClarksonsFarm season 2. Excited? 🐑 🚜 pic.twitter.com/SnSpXU08Xd
— Prime Video UK (@primevideouk) February 1, 2022
This sentiment was shared by the Farm Safety Foundation.
"This programme could be a great way to help improve attitudes and behaviours so it is a pity that this photo displaying such poor safety behaviour was chosen to promote the show," Stephanie Berkeley, foundation manager said.
"I just felt that the programme is introducing a whole new audience to our hard-working industry and it could show the very best that British agriculture has to offer.
"The sad fact is that agriculture continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK but we are working hard to change that through our education programme, research and awareness campaigns like Farm Safety Week and Mind Your Head."
In response to the criticism, a production spokesperson for the show said:
"Our first series showed, Jeremy has great respect for the farming community. However, it’s remit (or the programme) is not a’ how to guide’ to farmers who already know far more than he does.”
