Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Agriculture
Welcome to the first edition of HSE’s Agriculture E-bulletin.
The aim of the E-bulletin is to provide you with a free regular update of news and information from the Health & Safety Executive, keeping you informed of the latest issues affecting agriculture and it’s associated industries.
Below, you will find brief information on a number of topics or issues, each linking to more detailed articles on our website.
As this is the first issue, we would welcome your feedback and views – we would also welcome any suggestions/contributions for future articles. We plan on issuing futher E-bulletin’s on a quarterly basis.
The new ‘Work at Height Regulations 2005’ came into effect on 6 April 2005. They have replaced all earlier regulations about working at height, and they apply to work at any height. A key feature is the introduction of a hierarchy for managing the risks and selecting equipment for work at height. HSE have produced a brief guide summarising what you need to do to comply with the Regulations
Information which should reduce accidents amongst arborists by helping them to select the best rope access or work positioning system for treework has been published by HSE in a research report. The risks associated with arboricultural work are often high. It is important these are sensibly managed and controlled. This work will help climbers, employers and trainers when making decisions about appropriate climbing methods, equipment selection and attachment to the tree.
HSE, NFU and the Agricultural Industries Confederation have jointly produced an article providing information on dust masks. By working in agriculture, you can breathe in a range of dusts, vapours, fumes and spores or germs that can cause serious lung diseases. These illnesses include occupational asthma, farmers’ lung and chronic bronchitis. Severe cases may mean that sufferers have to give up their work and face the economic and social consequences as well as their disability.
This short article highlights the need for examinations of lifting equipment along with the need for operator seat restraints to be fitted to such equipment where there is an increased risk of overturning.
Working with cattle will always involve some risk, but sensible health and safety is about managing risks, not eliminating them. That is why every farm that handles cattle should have a decent handling system. HSE research indicates that 47% of injuries are due to inadequate facilities.
Agricultural machinery dealers recently attended a safety awareness day at McCormick Tractors International, Doncaster. One of the main aims was to promote improved transport safety through the vehicle health check scheme. HSE will be holding further safety seminars for machinery dealers during 2005/06 throughout the UK. Free information on the scheme and checklists that can be used to carry out your own vehicle safety checks can be found at
www.bagma.com/vehicle_health_check_scheme.htm
Details of successful agriculture prosecutions taken in 2004/05.
An update on the number of fatal injuries in Agriculture at the end of the 3rd quarter.
