European Agency for Safety and Health at Work services

Agriculture, including forestry, plays an important part in the economic, cultural and political life of Europe. It is very diverse in the crops and livestock grown, a consequence of the geographical and cultural differences in Europe. It is also a business in which many workers are killed and injured in workplace accidents, or suffer from occupationally acquired diseases. Over 10 million people work in agriculture. Although the numbers working, and the numbers of farms are reducing, it remains a vitally important business. There are significant differences between the 15 “pre May 2004” Member States and the new Member States. In the old Member States 4.0% of the working population work in agriculture, but in the new Member States it is 13.4%. Most farms are small businesses, often family run. Some sections, such as horticulture and forestry, have more employees but this is often on a seasonal basis.

Fishing is, according to an ILO report published in 1999, amongst the most dangerous of all professions. As many as 24,000 people are killed each year around the world while working in the fisheries sector. The information provided here is intended to assist those practically involved in reducing the risk to workers of death, ill-health, and injury in the fisheries sector. This sector is not limited to seafishing, but also includes activities such as fishfarming. Much of the information provided is available directly from the national sources, but the links given here may speed up the search process. As much of the information as possible that is listed here is free of charge, but there may be some links to sites where there is priced documentation. Also, some sites may require registration even if the material is subsequently free. The site seeks to provide links to information specific to the fisheries sector.