FINAL SAY Fen Tiger No hiding importance of farm safety
Farm safety inspectors are oſt en seen as jobsworths – but they have a human side too, says Fen Tiger.
I
t’s a dangerous game, this farming business. There are barely enough hours in the
day to get all the jobs done – let alone time to ensure machinery is properly maintained and safe to operate.
Or so it seems on many farms. Despite all the warnings, safety seldom gets the attention it de- serves – particularly in one-man- band businesses. All too often it is seen as unproductive and does not swell the bank balance – even though it could save your life. Agriculture employs just 1-2 % of the British workforce. But the sector accounts for 20% of reported work-related fatalities. And many of those accidents happen at busy times when the pressure is on to get the job done.
A rugby friend of mine once rushed to fetch the beet cleaner from another fi eld after having problems with loose dirt. He put his foot where it should not have been and broke it. Had the pick- up hitch locked, he could have lost his foot.
Why did this happen? Because of pressure and time. As farmers, we are under fi nancial pressure too – often working long hours alone to make ends meet. Sometimes with high powered machines. It can be a constant strain and mis- takes happen.
Inspections
Several health and safety inspec- tions have taken place near here in recent months. It seems neigh- bours have been given warning of the impending visits and have therefore been prepared. Is it cor- rect to be forewarned of any forth- coming inspection? I am not sure. It allows farmers to get all paperwork and machines in order but I don’t think it really helps anyone. It might be good for the farmer in question who can put things right before they are spotted by offi cials – but is it right for the industry? I don’t think it is. Take crop assurance inspec-
tions. They are not a matter of life and death but they are a good ex- ample of what happens when in- spections are conducted at the farmers’ convenience, rather than being unannounced.
The crop assurance inspector usually comes when the grower arranges the visit. Paperwork is updated to refl ect the cleaning of grain stores and trailers; spray re- cords are presented correctly; and water rates, active ingredients and weather conditions are all proper- ly recorded.
Clean machines Of course, every farm always cleans every machine, don’t they? Spray records always refl ect crop protection products applied in near perfect conditions. And everyone uses the correct chemicals with the appropriate mixing partner with the correct water volumes. Basically, what I am saying is that records are there to be in- spected whether they are correct or not. The chemical store is always spotless. Has anybody moved those outdated chemicals to number two store and then back again? No, me neither.
So what is to stop those old, un- safe – in the eyes of the inspector – machines that do a wonderful job from being moved to a shed down the road until a health and safety inspection is over? True, many farmers fi nd it hard to run a farm business while abid- ing by all the restrictions. And I accept that is can be hard to ser- vice grease nipples covered with a plastic safety guard. It is sim- ilarly diffi cult to replace delicate spray tips while wearing oversize rubber gloves.
Risky business I expect too that some farmers fail on the paperwork alone. It’s im- portant to identify all risks. You have to show willing and under-
stand the implications of your ac- tions too. It’s not an obvious side of farming to tackle and often takes a back seat. But it is still important. A good health and safety in- spector is there to help. Farmers do not get everything correct all the time – and a good inspector will help an honest farmer better un- derstand and comply with health and safety requirements rather than throw the book at the fi rst opportunity.
Many years ago, we were vis- ited by a fresh-faced inspector. He had an agricultural background but mostly with the livestock sec- tor. Our old six-row sugar beet har- vester stood in the yard and the power take-off guards had some extra holes in them for mainte- nance reasons.
The inspector ticked me off and explained the exact length and purpose of each particular guard. It was an interesting talk but after the technical lecture he asked about the machine, how it worked, what it actually did and how it performed.
I explained and asked if he would like to grease those cov- ered-up grease nipples – showing the diffi culty we face when trying to maintain equipment. He left on good terms. An open approach and talking is better than hiding ma- chines in a far corner of the farm.
“As farmers, we are often under financial pressure – working long hours to make ends meet.”
74 ANGLIA FARMER • APRIL 2019
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
