Farm Safety Essentials: Key Steps to Take After an Accident
Agriculture is one of the largest industries in the UK, and simultaneously one of the most critical. Given the dangerous nature of many important agricultural processes, it should come as no surprise that agriculture is also an industry responsible for a considerable number of workplace accidents and injuries.
As a farm owner or operative, it is incumbent on you to minimise the risk of injury on-site. There’s a legal basis for this, of course, but also a moral one; in an industry with an outsized number of fatal casualties, it should be your priority to ensure the safety of your staff from the various industry-specific hazards inherent to farm sites. Let’s explore what these hazards are, and how to manage accidents and their aftermath.
Common Farm Hazards
The risk of injury in agriculture is higher than in many other industries, largely by virtue of the bespoke machinery used in farming. Tractors and all-terrain vehicles present risk of crush and collision injuries, while harvesting and milling machines present their own specific risks, including crush injuries. Poor training can be a key cause of such injuries, as can poor health-and-safety protocols.
Livestock farms have their own individual risks, relating to the size and strength of certain animals; risk of serious injury is heightened here when lone working is permitted. In livestock farms, disease risks are higher too – as are risks related to the handling of hazardous chemicals from disinfecting machinery.
Immediate Actions After an Incident
Given the widespread nature of agriculture, and the broad remit of work even in the most specialised of farm sites, accidents can happen in a number of different ways. Each potentiality needs to have its own specific set of reactive actions – but the general process is the same across the board. In the event of an accident, first aid must be administered immediately, alongside contacting emergency services. If appropriate, the site of the accident should be rendered safe beforehand.
Reporting and Documentation
A crucial consideration is that of reporting, which has a legal basis as much as it does a moral one. For the latter, the victim of any on-site accident may be able to lodge a claim for their injury, particularly where no personal fault is apportioned. Supporting evidence relating to the accident enables the victim to strengthen their case accordingly, whether against the farm itself or the responsible party (e.g.: an industrial equipment manufacturer, where faulty machinery causes an accident).
For the legal side of the equation, the serious nature of health and safety legislation makes reporting of workplace accidents vital; RIDDOR regulations describe the employer’s responsibilities in this regard.
Reducing Future Risk on the Farm
Of course, it is your responsibility not just to respond to accidents, but to prevent them where possible. This means conducting thorough risk assessments in accordance with HSE, and assigning health and safety responsibilities to relevant staff. Training is a key part of preventive health and safety, as is preventive maintenance on dangerous industrial machinery.
