A farmer standing on a pallet that was balanced on the forks of a telehandler fell three meters to his death this week.

Luckily this "farmer" was a mannequin set up by the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to demonstrate the dangers of working at height and the improper use of farm machinery.

The staged demonstration was one of six presentations to farmers at a "safety awareness day" for agriculture workers at Wigfield Farm, the working training farm of Barnsley College of Worsborough Bridge.

HSE inspector Alan Sheldon says the event gave farmers practical examples of operating safely at work.

"We feel this hands-on approach delivered by trainers who themselves are farmers can make a positive difference to health and safety issues on the farm.

"Attendees from small family farms are often self-employed and lack access to health and safety advice," Sheldon says, adding that the event covers topics which account for the majority of fatal accidents and causes of ill health on farms.

According to the HSE, UK's agriculture industry has one of the worst fatal accident and occupational ill health records of any major employment sector.

The industry accounts for 16% of fatal injuries in the UK but represents 1.7% of the workforce. In the past financial year, 34 workers died after being in agriculture-related accidents.

Attendees were shown six farming presentations that represented serious health or safety risks for the industry. They included working on roofs, working at height in general, animal handling, manual handling, quad bike safety and the safe use and operation of forklifts.

Safety awareness days are held annually around Yorkshire by the HSE and agricultural training specialist Lantra delivers the presentations.

"The Lantra trainers understand the problems experienced by fellow-farmers, at a time when foot and mouth, blue tongue disease and the summer flooding have placed increased burdens on the farming community," says Sheldon.