Farmers told to consider health and safety

Posted 02/08/2009

People who own an agricultural property have been urged to manage all personal injury risks.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), farming is one of the most dangerous sectors in which to work and the accident rate tends to be higher at this time of year.

The regulator has therefore reminded farmers to take steps including checking whether machinery such as tractors are in good working order.

Agricultural firms were also encouraged to make sure that safety guards covering dangerous machine parts are in place.

Alan Plom, head of safety for agriculture at the HSE, added that farmers who are using a machine should also make sure it comes to a standstill before they touch it.

He commented: “[This] costs nothing more than a few seconds of time.”

“Those seconds may prevent an injury that lasts a lifetime.”

This comes shortly after the HSE urged farmers to take steps to safeguard children who live on their farm with them.

Figures from the watchdog show that over the last decade, 43 under-18s have died as a result of a work-related incident in agriculture, while many others have undergone an amputation because of a farmyard accident.