Tragic accident at work: Farmer (46) dies while unloading beets in Melk

Tragic accident at work: Farmer (46) dies while unloading beets in Melk

A tragic accident in the Melk district cost the life of a 46-year-old farmer on Monday. The incident occurred in the loading area of ​​the train station in Loosdorf when the man was hit by the side of the side while unloading a beet trailer. Despite the immediate alert of the “Christophorus 15” emergency medical helicopter, the farmer succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the accident after he had previously parked his tractor trailer to empty the trailer. According to initial investigations, it is suspected that he was buried by the cargo. This tragic incident is just one of many accidents that unfortunately occur frequently in agriculture.

In recent years, the Advisory Board for Accident Prevention in Agriculture (BUL) has published alarming figures on fatal accidents in this sector. There have already been a total of 15 fatal accidents in agriculture this year. The advisory center points out that many dangers in agricultural work are often underestimated. Accident investigations show that risks are accepted consciously or unconsciously in certain work situations. This is particularly worrying as the anomalies in accident insurance provide data that is not always reliable as there is no reporting requirement for agricultural accidents.

Accident numbers and risk factors

The BUL has examined the causes of fatal accidents in agriculture in more detail. Of the accidents recorded, the most common reasons were:

• Zwei Todesfälle infolge Umsturz eines Traktors oder Transporters
• Zwei Personen wurden von einem Traktor überfahren
• Zwei weitere wurden von Maschinen eingeklemmt oder erdrückt
• Drei Personen kamen bei Waldarbeiten durch fallende Bäume zu Tode
• Zwei Menschen stürzten durch Heukräne oder Abwurföffnungen

The average age of the farmers who died in an accident is 55 years old, with the youngest person affected being only 19 and the oldest being 84 years old. Surprisingly, six of the injured people in this group were also of retirement age. The danger posed by a wide range of agricultural work should not be underestimated. Together with Agriss, an institution specializing in occupational safety and health in agriculture, a new campaign called “Risk Down” is being launched. The aim of this campaign is to provide practical tips on how to prevent danger in everyday agricultural life.

The dangers in everyday life

Animal husbandry represents a particular source of danger in agriculture. There were over 13,000 accidents in 2021, with more than 23 percent of all recorded accidents falling into this category. Dealing with large livestock, especially cattle, is particularly dangerous. Shockingly, seven deaths and 4,700 accidents due to direct animal contact have been recorded this year alone. Gardening and landscaping work also contributes significantly to the number of accidents, causing around 20 percent of accidents. Maintenance work on machines and general agricultural equipment accounts for around 15 percent.

In summary, agriculture is an industry that involves a variety of risks. The tragic accident in Loosdorf underlines the urgency of strengthening safety measures and taking the dangers in everyday work seriously in order to protect the lives of farmers and employees.

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