Why farmers should have a health and safety emergency plan
© Tim Scrivener Farming has a poor track record of workplace-related accidents – the industry employs 2% of the UK workforce yet accounts for 20% of workplace fatalities.
However, injury and fatality are just two situations on a farm that trigger an immediate emergency response.
Add to that list fires, explosions, chemical spills, farm machinery hitting a railway bridge or power cable and a silage or grain trailer overturning on the road. The very nature of farming comes with an element of risk.
Although not required by law, every farm should have emergency procedures to allow incidents to be responded to quickly, efficiently and collaboratively, says Rob Gazely, a partner with agricultural consultancy Ceres Rural.
See also: How to work safely near overhead power lines on farmland
This document will give clear direction at a time of inevitable shock and confusion, he says.
It should identify key contacts, including farm personnel – particularly identifying those who are first-aid trained – and external advisers such as the agronomist and health and safety consultant.
Listed too must be key actions such as contacting the emergency services, specifying who will co-ordinate with the emergency services and regulatory authorities, Mr Gazely recommends.
So what should be included and how might farmers act on it?
Water sources
Listing the locations of the nearest sources of water – a reservoir, river, lake or pond – can save valuable minutes in a fire.
These may be on the farm, or may be located on neighbouring holdings.
Mr Gazely says this is just one example of why a plan is as important on a small farm with no employees, as it is for a bigger operation with a workforce.
“It acts as a reference point of information for the emergency services,’’ he says.
Who does what and when
Provide succinct factual detail on the processes for everyone on the farm to follow and lines of responsibility in each emergency scenario.
“It can be as simple as who is going to open the gates, who is going to move any machinery out of the way if an access is blocked,’’ says Mr Gazely.
Appoint individuals to implement different procedures – make sure that all relevant staff members, whatever their normal role, understand what they should do in an emergency, for instance how to raise the alarm, how to use emergency equipment and who they should receive instructions from.
Contact information
From the estate director or farm manager to the various permanent and temporary staff, list everyone’s contact details.
Numbers for relevant emergency services must also be listed.
While 999 is the number that most people know to ring in an emergency, there are other useful numbers – for instance calling 105 from a mobile will connect the caller with the local electricity network distribution operator in the event of contact with an overhead power line, to enable the local network to be isolated and made safe at the earliest opportunity.
Other useful contacts to include are National Gas (0800 111 999), the Health and Safety Executive (0345 300 9923), the Environment Agency for chemical spills or pollution incidents (0800 80 70 60), or, in the devolved regions, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (again 0800 80 70 60 for both) and Natural Resources Wales (0300 065 3000).
Display the plan
The emergency response plan will form an intrinsic part of the health and safety policy file kept in the farm office, but it should also be printed and laminated and displayed at locations such as the workshop or staff rest area.
A cab card is also useful – a printed and laminated A5 version of the plan that can be displayed and carried on farm machinery such as on the tractor, sprayer or combine harvester so it is available to employees away from their place of work.
Location information
For field fires, limiting location details to road names or postcodes can slow down the emergency response.
Mr Gazely recommends instead using What3Words to pinpoint the location of an incident to within 3sq m.
“In the case of a machine fire, for example, it can make the difference between a machine taking a day to repair and it being a complete write-off,’’ he says.
Include the What3Words location for key sites and resources such as the pesticide and fertiliser stores and fuel tanks, he adds.
“It can also be very useful to list the What3Words locations for the fire assembly point, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, gas and electricity isolation points, and the nearest defibrillator.’’
Proactively engage with the local fire and rescue service
Inviting the fire and rescue service to the farm can be mutually beneficial.
A planned visit allows them to familiarise themselves with the characteristics of the site such as the layout of the buildings and where the sources of water are located.
“Allowing them access to carry out practice drills in confined spaces such as grain bins and silos provides an invaluable training opportunity, and familiarises them with the farm,’’ says Mr Gazely.
Expert advice
The more that a farmer can do to manage their own risk, the better the outcome will be if an emergency occurs, says Freddie Braithwaite-Exley, of A-Plan Rural Insurance.
As well as having an overall farm risk management plan – including fire safety and risk assessments – for all farm employees and others on the farm to follow, he advises formalising a building maintenance programme.
“This would allow essential work to be carried out during down times,’’ he says.
Training employees on the risks, jobs and equipment they are exposed to is recommended, and also reviewing the business insurance claims record to identify recurring and avoidable losses.
Insurers are often bound by time constraints so incidents and claims should be reported promptly, advises Mr Braithwaite-Exley.
The same applies to other legal issues. “Inform your insurer as soon as you are aware of an event that may require legal assistance,’’ he recommends.