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Luke Searle, 17, was working at Sherwell Farm in the Plympton suburb of Plymouth, Devon, when it happened. The local ambulance service called Devon and Cornwall Police after receiving reports of a male suffering serious injuries on June 22.
Devon and Cornwall Police said in a statement issued today (July 13): "The fire service, police, plus air and land ambulances all attended the scene, but tragically the teenager was pronounced deceased at the scene."
Luke was local to the area, according to the police, and his family has asked for privacy as they come to terms with their loss.
Because of his age, the circumstances surrounding Luke's death will be the focus of a joint investigation by the police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Farmers Weekly reported earlier this month that the Health and Safety Executive had issued a statement saying he was trapped and killed in a bale-wrapping machine.
PlymouthLive reports tributes pouring in for Luke, with one local saying: "RIP beautiful soul, may you rest with the angels in paradise. Much love and condolences to your family and friends."
Another wrote: "Such a lovely young man. [I'm sending] healing thoughts and love to Luke's family."
A total of 123 workers were killed in work-related accidents in Britain over the last year, according to HSE figures.
The data covers the period April 2021 to March 2022, during which most pandemic restrictions were lifted and the economy began to reopen.
Industries with the highest deaths were construction (30), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (22) and manufacturing (22).
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Agriculture, forestry and fishing has the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers.
The three most common causes of fatal injuries continue to be falling from height (29), being struck by a moving vehicle (23) and being hit by a moving object (18).
The 123 worker deaths in 2021/22 is lower than the previous year, although it is in line with pre-pandemic figures.
There has been a long-term downward trend in the rate of fatal injuries to workers, though in the years before the Covid pandemic the rate was broadly flat.
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HSE Chief Executive Sarah Albon said while Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, the figures show efforts must continue to ensure safety remains a priority.
She added: "Every loss of life is a tragedy and we are committed to making workplaces safer."
The figures relate to work-related accidents and do not include deaths from occupational diseases or those arising from exposure among certain professions.
The HSE has also published annual figures for Mesothelioma, a cancer which can be caused by past exposure to asbestos.
Figures show 2,544 people died from the disease in 2020, in line with the average 2,523 deaths over the previous eight years.
Current Mesothelioma deaths reflect exposure to asbestos which mainly happened before the 1980s.
Annual deaths are expected to go down over the next 10 years.
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