Workplace transport incidents continue to be one of the main causes of death and serious injury within agriculture
HSE is just launching its farm safety campaign 'Your Farm - Your Future' to raise the awareness of vehicle safety.
They are highlighting the need to ensure that any work with vehicles needs to be done safely.
This can be ensuring your staff are adequately trained to drive the vehicles they use, they understand about the safety of trailers, towing and loads, that measures are in place to protect pedestrian safety, and that all staff follow safe systems of work for working with and maintaining vehicles.
Last year HSE accident statistics identified most deaths on farms were attributed to vehicles or vehicle attachments; including 8 fatalities when struck by a moving vehicle such as a tractor, an ATV and telehandlers and having further deaths being attributed to contact with vehicle attachments such as trailers and toppers and being trapped by something collapsing including a seed drill.
Here are a few things that you can consider on your farm in relation to working with and around vehicles:-
- Are your staff adequately trained for the vehicles they use e.g. tractors, telehandlers and ATV's and any associated attachments. (Contact your Regional Manager if staff require formal training or refresher training - recommended every 3 - 5 years).
- Do staff follow the Safe Stop procedure when getting in and out of vehicles especially to look at attachments?
- Do staff carry out pre use checks of the safety of equipment before starting e.g. PTO guards are intact? but also checking any hydraulic pipes for leaks, lights, mirrors and brakes etc.
- Do staff wear appropriate PPE when using ATV's such as ATV helmets and gloves?
- Have you considered the safety of pedestrians on the farm and provided segregated and marked walkways as far as possible, considered one way systems, and improved visibility to drivers and pedestrians by using vehicle reversing cameras, mirrors, additional lighting and providing pedestrians with hi vis clothing. (This month LKL are making available Hi vis vests to all LKL staff - see your Regional Manager).
- Are arrangements in place for regular vehicle serving and maintenance including brakes? This would also include that any telehandlers and tractors with foreloaders are subject to a suitable LOLER examination as required by the legislation. (You can find out more here).
HSE recommends:-
When you start your daily routine today, follow our 'safe farm, safe driver, safe vehicle' advice to help you plan the job and complete it safely.
- Operating a safe farm - Keep people and vehicles apart
- Being a safe driver - Pause, take a moment to be a safer driver
- Maintaining a safe vehicle - Detect faults now, before it’s too late
More information about the campaign and videos can be found here.
Here are some more resources to improve health & safety awareness about working with and around vehicles on your farm:-
The Health & Safety Authority is association with HSE for Northern Ireland, have produced this useful e-learning course discussing Farm vehicle safety particularly Tractor safety - see link here.
You can register for free and the e-learning course lasts 40 minutes.
HSE has some more information of Farm vehicle safety here.
HSE has produced this useful publication on using farm vehicles also here.
