Yellow Wellies launches bespoke health-and-safety policy tool
© Tim Scrivener The Farm Safety Foundation, also known as Yellow Wellies, has launched an online tool to help farmers build their own health-and-safety policy, as figures show that farming accounts for 18% of all workplace deaths in the UK, despite employing just 1% of the country’s workforce.
Many farms still do not have a health-and-safety policy in place, but it is a legal requirement for businesses with five or more employees.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager at the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “We are working to drive a change in safety culture in the industry.
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“Health-and-safety culture goes beyond simply understanding the rules and following them because you’ve been told to.”
Online solution
To simplify the process and improve farm safety, the online “build your own” policy tool minimises paperwork and can be downloaded or printed after completion.
Free and easy to use, the website gives farmers a series of questions to work through, which will produce a policy that is specific to their farm business.
The policy is also fully compliant with Health and Safety Executive requirements and can be used in assurance scheme applications.
Ms Berkeley said: “Each and every farmworker should be thinking about what could happen to their work colleagues, visitors or family members on the farm, what could cause it and how serious it could be. This is something we should all buy in to.
“It’s a matter of common sense… but it is not common practice. People create health-and-safety policies, but many workers never actually read them. This is why a health-and-safety policy, created by you, tailored to your farm and read and agreed by everyone, can help, not hinder.
“It’s easy, it can be changed or updated when needed, it’s free and it might just save a life. What’s not to like?” she said.