Safety warnings issued as spring work hits peak

Farm leaders and safety organisations have urged farmers to build safe practices into their routines as the spring fieldwork season gathers momentum.

Slurry spreading, field preparations, drilling and silaging are either already under way or drawing closer in the calendar on farms across the UK.

The seasonal work programme prompted the Farm Safety Foundation and the NFU to highlight the risks involved in machinery use, as well as the dangers of exposure to UV radiation in the fierce spring sunshine.

Farm Safety Foundation manager Stephanie Berkeley explained the dangers of working outdoors at a time of year when UV levels can be at their highest.

See also: Young farmers’ top concerns revealed in survey

Farmworkers had the second-highest death rate from skin cancers after construction workers, Ms Berkeley said. About one in 10 of all new cancers caused by solar radiation were among farmworkers, and one farmworker died each month as a result of exposure to UV rays at work, she added. 

To minimise exposure, Ms Berkeley urged farmers to use the highest sun protection factor sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat and long-sleeved shirts.

She also called for better communication of the dangers to staff, particularly as spring sees a huge number of temporary workers descending on farms.

Working practices

Temporary workers may not have the level of knowledge, experience and safety training that full-time staff have, and Ms Berkeley said it was is vital to ensure they were fully aware of the risks and safe working practices with unfamiliar pieces of machinery.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also raised training as a key to preventing accidents and listed a number of risks as farmers roll out heavy machinery and equipment this spring.

Among potential risk areas it highlighted:

• Forage harvesters – chopping cylinders
• Balers – pick-ups, twine mechanisms and moving rear doors
• Slurry tankers – power take-off (pto) shafts
• Tractor – hitch mechanisms, ptos and pto shafts
• Power harrows – rotating tines
• Feeder wagons – rotating components in the mixing chamber.

Simple, essential safety steps would prevent most deaths and injuries in tractor accidents, the HSE said. In many fatal accidents each year a basic level of training on how to use machinery would have been enough to have saved lives, it added.

The HSE  pointed to its resources on the safe use of tractors and, as well as staff training, emphasised the need for maintenance and safety checks.

A spokesman said that as a minimum staff should carry out pre-use safety checks and practice the “safe stop” procedure when operating machinery.

Sugar beet drilling

Meanwhile, NFU Sugar and British Sugar have launched a joint campaign to highlight safety risks in the sector.

NFU Sugar board vice-chair Simon Smith told growers that the safety of everybody working on farms should be put first, and he set out a range of tips for growers to consider in beet fields:

• Work with local electricity companies to visit farms and identify possible hazards
• Carry out risk assessments on overhead power lines before drilling and review them before harvest – they can sag according to the weather
• Check insurance policies for health and safety requirements
• Undertake a full safety briefing with staff and contractors
• Ensure all farm staff complete the Lantra health and safety online module
• Ensure machine cabs have emergency contact numbers, including the distribution network operator (DNO), and fire extinguishers
• Schedule work on crop areas around telegraph poles/pylons during the day rather than at night.

Resources

There are many online links to farm safety that could be passed on to staff.

HSE

Reducing the risk of sun exposure

Using machinery safely

Farm Safety Foundation/Yellow Wellies

Safety checklist Pdf

A safety guide for temporary workers

Lantra

Beet grower safety training