The UK’s most lethal Industry

An HSE  (Health and Safety Executive) Representative said:

“It is a challenge to get parts of this industry, which is characterised by a lack of large companies, to accept that they are not managing risk well.”

However, improvements in education and awareness on managing risks are reaching younger farmers, 8,500 having been trained by the Farm Safety Foundation, and as such, they are changing the way they farm to align with the safety measures they need to implement.

But education and awareness are not enough with the pressure of the supply chain on farmers. Farmers, even though their number one resource being people, still give livestock and crops get more attention than their own wellbeing.

At every stage of the ‘field-to-fork journey’, farmers are feeling the intense competitive pressure to reduce prices, which leads to safety corners being cut. They work faster to increase profit margins and decide against investing in safety measures. The whole of the supply chain, including the larger organisations, have a responsibility to farmers and must recognise they are contributing to an unsafe work environment.

Time moves very fast in the agricultural industry, it’s about who can get their products through the supply chain and out to customers the quickest. Allowing for more time is the easiest change farmers can make, by taking a few minutes to consider the risk and assess the situation in the six categories we’ll look at, can be the defining difference between life and death.

Vehicles on the farm should be inspected daily by someone trained to ensure the vehicle is well maintained, and anyone driving the vehicles should be properly authorised and medically fit to do so. If the vehicle is being used for a long time, breaks should be taken to avoid fatigue.

All routes on the farm must be kept clear, well-lit and away from livestock and people. If the route is near where people are working, the workers should wear high visibility clothing. If they need to approach the vehicle should attract the driver’s attention first, and not move forward until the driver has fully stopped the vehicle.

All vehicles used on farmland should be fitted with sound alerts when in reverse.

Animals remember bad experiences, all farm workers should know how to deal with animal behaviour which includes; keeping calm, no raised voices and always approaching animals from the front.

All equipment for handing livestock should be well kept, preventing injury to animals and people. Steel toe capped boots are recommended to reduce danger of crushing and gloves to avoid spread of bacteria and risk of disease.

When working with animals, a clear path is a necessity should they become distressed it allow them to exit without causing harm to themselves or others.  

Falling from height or being hit by a falling object accounts for 30% of all agricultural fatalities. When working at height, there is a safety hierarchy to follow: Avoid, Plan, Prevent, Train.

Where possible avoid working at height and when it can’t be avoided risk assessments should be carried out and a plan created to perform the task properly. This may include looking at the weather conditions, job duration, lighting and ground conditions to name a few.

All staff working or intending to work at height should be provided with the training. PPE should be worn including kneepads and helmet and a soft-landing provided, airbags or bales on the floor is a good option.  

It can also be useful to provide employees with a man down alarm should they slip or fall and have no way of getting help.

Farms can be an educational and fantastic place for children to grow up, but proper precautions should be taken. Children shouldn’t be left unsupervised around livestock, equipment, have access to heights or dangerous areas on the farm such as water or slurry tanks.

Under the age of 13, children are prohibited from driving or riding on any agricultural machine. Any children under the age of 16 in the work area, should be fully supervised by an adult and shouldn’t engage in any farm work.

Over 16, larger machines can be used but it is at the farmer’s discretion, based on the young person’s experience and competence whether they allow this. It’s not just about the age bracket as to whether they are ready to ride as a passenger, help with low-risk farm work or use larger powered machinery.

Introducing CCTV to the property and alarm monitoring can also give the peace of mind that the property is secure and help is not far away should they require assistance.

If the farmland has a lot of unused outbuildings, ARK’s vacant property inspections can help reduce safety risks by checking all access points, looking for damage caused by water, fire or electrical hazards and any evidence of squatters, vandalism or theft. If the property was then to be used to house farming equipment, there’s the reassurance that it has been thoroughly vetted.

The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 (FSO) is applicable to all farm buildings where people work, including packing sheds, milking parlours, barns, holiday lets and farmhouses used for providing bed and breakfast.

Farmers have the responsibility of conducting and maintaining up to date risk assessments and installing necessary fire precautions for the identified risks. 

Cannon can help farmers conform to the FSO, they are industry-recommended in supplying fire extinguishers and sprinklers for every sector’s needs. With the added addition of design, installation, maintenance, room integrity testing and refilling.