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6 December 2004 - Seminar Simulation
Highlights Major Killer on Farm and Rural Land
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A seminar, by the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency, as part of their
working at heights and workplace transport series aimed at farmers,
occupiers and rural land managers, visited North Yorkshire and County Durham
regions last week incorporating a simulation inspection of a farm near
Scotch Corner within their event.
The simulation
aimed to show how workers within the agriculture industry and their families
can avoid deaths in the working at height and workplace transport areas.
Other areas within the seminar were also highlighted, such
as the following:
- stringent new legislation on the storage of fuel oils
and farm effluent
- general asbestos management
- the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The organiser of the event, a Health and Safety Inspector
commented:
"Agriculture is unique in that vulnerable groups such
as children and elderly people form part of the farming community and
figure regularly in the statistics for serious injuries and deaths on
farms. It is imperative that children are not exposed to workplace hazards
and that older people make a reasonable assessment of their physical and
technical capabilities before carrying out work on the farm.
"The hope is that the lessons learned from this event will be passed on to
staff working on the farms and businesses managed by the participants,
improving safety for workers and reducing the number of injuries and
fatalities."
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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