24 August 2004 - Figures Show Shocking Safety Standards for Yorkshire Farmers
A recent blitz by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors at farms in the Harrogate and Ripon area have shown alarming figures as nearly a third of all farms visited were issued with enforcement notices, even though the farmers were sent written confirmation several weeks in advance of the visits, and had been advised of the topics that the Inspectors would be targeting.
During May, June and July a team of six Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive's Leeds office visited almost 100 farms to assess agricultural health and safety standards, and also to raise the profile of the dangers associated with working at height, safe use of agricultural vehicles, grassland harvesting equipment, livestock and manual handling and child safety.
39 Prohibition Notices (some duplicated at farms with several active partners) were served at 21 farms immediately prohibiting a number of dangerous activities:
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The use of a chainsaw in the absence of suitable personal protective equipment (8 farms)
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The use of PTO shaft driven equipment where PTO shaft guards were either missing or damaged or were defective due to inadequate maintenance. (6 farms)
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The use of an obviously defective ladder (3 farms)
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The use of an ATV / quad bike in the absence of suitable head protection. (4 farms)
18 Improvement Notices (again some duplicated) were served at 9 farms covering a variety of topics. Improvements required included:
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Protective measures at the open edges of 2 silage clamps, and at a ramp
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Maintenance of a cattle crush
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Maintenance of the brakes of a trailer
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Protection of an LPG tank against possible vehicle impact
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Provision of a roll-over protective structure on a tractor
Alongside the enforcement notices, inspectors gave advice on a variety of
topics such as:
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the duty to identify, record and manage asbestos containing materials which came into effect in May 2004
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on-farm transport safety issues, including training for telehandler drivers
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the need for cattle handling procedures to be reviewed where dairy breed bulls have been reintroduced into dairy herds
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the need to provide secure play facilities when there are small children on the farm.
Charlie Callis, HSE inspector who organised the campaign commented:
"We
wanted to send out a strong message to those in control of agricultural
activities, including farmers and contractors, that failure to adequately
assess the risks and control hazards can result in death, serious injuries
and ill health.
"The visits revealed that although many farmers take an active interest in
health and safety and maintained reasonable standards, a disappointing
number - almost a third of the farms we visited - had let standards slip and
were prepared to run unacceptable risks whilst at work."
John Micklethwaite Acting Principal Inspector of the Agriculture group in Leeds also commented:
"Our
campaign has concentrated on those day to day matters that give rise to the
majority of serious accidents. Our intention was to promote good practice
and to engage with the farmers that we met with the aim of changing
attitudes to health and safety on the farm. Some farmers were happy to meet
us half way - some were not. Inevitably we found unacceptable standards at
some farms and when this was the case Inspectors have taken firm action to
deal with poor standards.
"Last year, discounting the deaths arising from the Morecambe Bay tragedy,
there were 30 fatal accidents in farming, forestry, horticulture and
associated industries across the country. Two children under 16 are included
in this total. The number of deaths and injuries on farms is still
unacceptably high, with 25 fatal accidents nationally recorded in the period
April to mid-August this year.
" We had two fatal accidents in Yorkshire last year. In October, near
Thirsk, a self-employed farmer was killed when he fell through a fragile
roof of a grain store onto a concrete floor. In November, near Beverley, a
self-employed tree surgeon was killed when he fell as he as transferred from
a ladder to a tree that he was reducing.
"Such accidents are a tragedy for the individual and for their family and
friends. The majority of accidents are avoidable. In a changing social and
economic climate the farming industry must constantly be on its guard
against bad practice and carelessness. A hazard identified and effectively
controlled may save a life, or prevent a life time of incapacity."
Fatal accidents, by their very nature, generate reliable statistics. In the agricultural sector, there is known to be major under-reporting of non-fatal accidents. This is demonstrated by the fact that in 2003-2004 a further 1900 non-fatal injuries were reported to HSE from this sector, but only 89 of these involved the self-employed, a ratio of about 1 to 20. When this ratio is compared with the reliable ratio of almost 3 to 1 for fatal accidents over the same period, the difficulty that HSE has in obtaining a true picture of the incidence of accidents in farming can be appreciated.
