Workers on the Seasonal Worker visa work in a recognised high-risk environment for injuries and fatalities. In 2023 and 2024 WSC supported several workers to access respected personal injury lawyers following serious injuries incurred on farms while at work, some of which were life-altering.
Some farms have now admitted culpability and workers have received compensation for their injuries. This is important as WSC believes that by supporting workers to access legal advice and compensation we will build an evidence base of health and safety risks to seasonal agricultural workers and potential negative outcomes. Through our Worker Power sessions, workers talk about the barriers they face to accessing healthcare in Scotland.
WSC works with the Health and Safety Executive to highlight the threats we know of from workers, including lack of Personal Protective Equipment, farm-based hazards, and insufficient training and to ensure farms are inspected.
We have also worked with the Scottish Government to promote migrant workers’ access to healthcare, to ensure all workers know they have the right to access primary and emergency healthcare free of charge on the NHS.