A County Tyrone farmer has spoken about the injuries he sustained after falling through a roof while working on his family farm, as figures reveal the scale of workplace deaths in Northern Ireland.

Richard Spence, from Ballymagorry, was fixing holes in the roof of a cow shed in 2024 when the structure gave way and he fell, striking a gate below. He suffered broken ribs, broken bones in his back, and a brain injury from head trauma.

Spence said he was thankful to be alive but has experienced significant memory loss since the accident, including the week before and several weeks after the fall. He also reported ongoing fatigue and reduced activity levels.

"If you get hurt or worse, it's not just you that's impacted, it is your whole family and friends so just take a minute, and don't take any risks," he said.

More than 80 people have died in workplace incidents in Northern Ireland since 2020, according to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland. Fermanagh and Omagh district had the highest number of deaths at 15, followed by Antrim and Newtownabbey with 12.

The majority of workplace deaths were caused by falls from height, with machinery-related incidents the second most common cause. The construction and agricultural industries accounted for most fatal accidents.

Glenn O'Rorke, operational lead paramedic for the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service team, said workplace accident calls can come from a wide range of locations and often involve falls and machinery injuries.

"When we arrive to a workplace accident it's not just the injured person you're thinking about, it's also their colleagues who have witnessed it and sometimes had to do first aid," O'Rorke said.

Acting deputy chief executive for HSENI, Sean Keogh, described the injury figures as shocking and said most workplace accidents were preventable.

"There's no job so urgent that it can't be done safely," Keogh said, urging employers to plan work properly and use appropriate safety measures.

The Health and Safety Executive has launched an inspection programme until March 2027 focusing on controls for slips, trips and falls in workplaces.