GOVERNMENT inspectors found nearly a third of farmers breaking health and safety regulations during recent farm visits.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited 100 farms in North Yorkshire in June and last month.

They found defective ladders being used, chainsaws being operated without protective clothing, quad bikes being ridden without helmets and tractors with faulty brakes.

The visits, in the Harrogate and Ripon areas, were part of a campaign to assess compliance with agricultural health and safety standards.

HSE inspector Charlie Callis, who organised the campaign, said: "We wanted to send out a strong message to those in control of agricultural activities, including farmers and contractors, that failure to adequately assess the risks and control hazards can result in death, serious injuries or ill health.

"The visits revealed that although many farmers take an active interest in health and safety and maintained reasonable standards, a disappointing number - almost a third of the farms we visited - had let standards slip, and were prepared to run unacceptable risks while at work."

The team of six inspectors issued 39 prohibition orders, banning dangerous working practice, to 21 farms.

A further nine farms were issued with 18 improvement orders.

The orders were issued despite farmers being contacted by letter in advance and told what the inspectors would be looking for.

John Micklethwaite, the acting principal inspector of the HSE agriculture group in Leeds, said: "Last year, discounting the deaths arising from the Morecambe Bay tragedy, there were 30 fatal accidents in farming, forestry, horticulture and associated industries across the country.

"Such accidents are a tragedy for the individual and for their family and friends."