Health and safety on farms: what can be done?

It’s clear that farming is a dangerous industry to work in, but what can be done to help lessen the danger?

The HSE’s acting head of agriculture, Adrian Hodkinson has called for farmers, farm workers and contractors to ensure that they take appropriate action to aid the prevention of these accidents, especially at this time of the year with harvest well underway. He also encouraged those concerned to take great care and follow health and safety advice, especially when dealing with livestock and farm machinery.

Recent fatalities within the farming sector included:

• A man falling from height at a farm in Angus, Scotland
• A three-year-old boy died following a collision with a farm vehicle in South Wales
• A man died when he was crushed by a ramp that fell from a truck in Hampshire
• A man was found with fatal injuries surrounded by cattle in a field near Chippenham.

In addition to the fatalities, there are hundreds of accidents and illnesses reported to the HSE under the RIDDOR Regulations.

To ensure that your farm remains a safe place you should follow the guidance in the HSE publication What a good farm looks like, this guide is full of useful information and practical advice that you can follow to keep everyone safe at your farm.

Director of Risk and Safety Compliance Services Ltd, Richard Wade, stated: “Staff health and safety training is vital to ensure we all remain safe in agriculture”.

Risk and Safety Compliance Services (www.rascs.co.uk) is soon launching a new, online health and safety training course designed to give your staff the knowledge they require to stay safe when at work on the farm. The course is a lively, interactive experience that includes a “virtual farm” where students can walk through a farm spotting hazards and learning how to control them.

The course launches on 3rd December 2021 but enrolment is open now.

For more Farmers Guide articles on Farm Safety, visit the Farm Safety section here.