In this, the first edition for 2012 we cover HSE’s new web pages, aimed at giving simple guidance on managing health and safety in your business and how to comply with the law. We also feature a new report covering the shocking statistics for fatalities within agriculture in 2010/11.
Why not take the opportunity this year to visit one of our Safety and Health Awareness Days (SHADs)? Where those who attend are given free advice on simple steps they can take to avoid accidents on the farm.
If you think health and safety has to be complicated - it doesn't. This site will make it easier for you to comply with the law and manage health and safety in your business.
For many businesses, all that’s required is a basic series of tasks. The site will take you through the steps and help you make sure you have done what you need to - and no more
Figures published in the Health and Safety Executive’s report 'Fatal injuries in farming, forestry, horticulture and associated industries 2010/11' show that 42 people were killed as a result of farming and other agriculture-related activities during the year.
The report shows that transport-related injuries were responsible for more deaths than any other cause. It also highlights trends and indicates key points in fatalities involving employees, the self-employed and members of the public.
Traditional farming SHADs continue to be a popular way for famers to see demonstrations that cover health and safety topics that are the top cause of death and injury in the industry such as transport, falls, livestock handling and manual handling.
For events in your area please see our diary page:
For anyone the Surrey area we still have some places available at the events on March 6 and 7.
An independent panel to consider challenges to health and safety regulatory advice is now established.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is supporting the new panel, which will look into issues raised by business where they believe a HSE or local authority health and safety inspector has given advice that is incorrect or disproportionate. The panel will not look at issues where other independent appeals processes exist, such as for enforcement notices or prosecutions.
The panel will be chaired by Tricia Henton, an experienced former regulator at the Environment Agency and is comprised of independent panel members who have the competence and experience to assess advice that has been given on regulatory matters.
Ministers asked for the panel to be established following a recommendation in the Löfstedt report, which proposed that the Government introduced a challenge mechanism that allows for cases of incorrect, over-application of health and safety legislation to be addressed.
For more information about the panel, please visit the web pages at: Regulatory challenge panel.
Judith Hackitt (HSE Chair) will chair a Forestry Industry Safety Summit on Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th March 2012 at the Forestry Commission Scotland’s headquarters.
The decision to hold the summit has been taken because forestry has one of the poorest safety records of any industry in Great Britain. The statistics for the whole of the agriculture sector are significantly higher than those for Construction and the other traditional industries; those for Forestry are worse than those for Agriculture.
The summit will bring together the most senior managers and key stakeholders in the industry to challenge the industry’s poor health and safety performance and bring about lasting improvement. The example of what has been achieved in other industrial sectors - including Construction - over the past 10 years shows what can be achieved but only with the commitment and support of the industry’s leaders.
The Summit is supported by Defra’s independent Forestry Regulation Task Force which reported to Ministers last year and aims:
To encourage the industry to take responsibility for it’s health and safety performance.
To encourage visible leadership and strategic direction from senior managers; and to promote effective health and safety management systems and cultures across the industry
in order to tackle the underlying behavioural and cultural attitudes and issues, which underpin and are reflected in the industry’s current performance.
A farmworker suffered severe facial injuries after falling 16ft through a shed roof in Cornwall.
The self-employed worker, of Blisland was helping remove fibre cement roof sheets from a shed when he fell 16ft on to the concrete floor below. The court heard no plans had been made for the work and apart from a fragile warning sign at the shed and inadequate crawling board, there were no safety measures on site.
A farmworker was severely injured after he was run over by a tractor which had a faulty handbrake.
The worker was spreading manure on a field when he got out to open a gate. The tractor, which was parked on a slope, began to roll forward and ran over him.
An Evesham horticultural nursery has been fined after a worker suffered serious head injuries and fractured his hand when he fell through a glasshouse roof.
The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) - is a grant-making charity that supports members of the farming community facing need, hardship or distress.
Founded in 1860 RABI have an unbroken history of providing long-term care and emergency help. The help is provided for retired farmers, farm workers and working farmers and their families who find themselves in financial difficulties.
For information: RABI
The sister organisation in Scotland can be contacted at: RSABI
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