HSE farm blitz in East Sussex a success

HSE Press Release E177:02 - 13 September 2002

A series of inspections on farms and farm vehicles across East Sussex has highlighted some cause for concern regarding health and safety.

On farms and public roads in the county, six inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued 22 enforcement notices - 12 of them prevented the use of agricultural equipment until safety was improved. Inspections on roads were carried out with three traffic officers from Sussex Police.

The HSE and Sussex Police stopped and examined 14 agricultural vehicles. HSE inspectors also visited 76 agricultural or forestry premises without prior notice.

In the Hastings area a five-year-old child was found riding on a telescopic handler, a cross between a tractor and a fork-lift truck. It is illegal to carry a child under 13 on an agricultural machine while it is being used on a farm.

In Polegate and Etchingham, inspectors found the riders of two quad bikes had received inadequate training, while in Rye a tractor was being used with no mirrors. At nearby Peasmarsh, a man operating a chainsaw was not wearing any protective equipment.

Mike Walters, the HSE inspector who organised the blitz, said:

"The HSE and Sussex Police have carried out a number of similar inspections in the last five years. It has been very noticeable this time that farmers appear to be maintaining their tractors and trailers in a better state of repair. It was disappointing, however, to find a large number of agricultural machines either poorly guarded or with no guard at all.

"Although we did find examples of good practice, which is encouraging, farmers must be more active in protecting themselves and their employees from injury. Poor health and safety standards lead not only to accidents with their personal and financial costs, but the same failings, even where no injuries result, lead to damage to machinery or buildings with more financial costs.

"Legislation has been in place since the late 1950s to ensure that PTO (power take-off) shafts linking tractors to powered equipment are properly guarded. There can be no excuse for unguarded PTO shafts which, in an accident, invariably lead to fatalities or loss of a limb."

Of the 22 enforcement notices issued, 11 related to transport, including trailer brakes, missing doors and mirrors, and driver training. Most of the other notices concerned poor guarding standards on a variety of agricultural machines.

Notes to editors

1. Enforcement notices issued:
   
   

   	Type of notice	Subject of notice (locations issued)
   1	Improvement Notice	Poorly maintained trailer brakes (Hartfield)
   2	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Icklesham)
   3	Improvement Notice	Tractor with no mirrors (Rye)
   4	Prohibition Notice	Trailer with no brakes (East Grinstead)
   5	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Battle)
   6	Prohibition Notice	Poor general guarding on tractor (Battle)
   7	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Hastings)
   8	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Bexhill-on-Sea)
   9	Improvement Notice	Lack of training of quad bike operator (Etchingham)
   10	Improvement Notice	Poorly maintained trailer brakes (Hailsham)
   11	Improvement Notice	Tractor door missing (Lewes)
   12	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Peacehaven)
   13	Improvement Notice	No trailer brakes (Ewhurst Green)
   14	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Polegate)
   15	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Polegate)
   16	Prohibition Notice	Chainsaw operator not wearing any protective equipment (Peasmarsh)
   17	Prohibition Notice	Poor PTO shaft guarding (Polegate)
   18	Improvement Notice	No trailer brakes (Polegate)
   19	Prohibition Notice	No trailer brakes (Polegate)
   20	Prohibition Notice	Unguarded PTO on tractor (Lewes)
   21	Improvement Notice	Lack of training for quad bike operator (Polegate)
   22	Improvement Notice	No mirrors on telescopic handler (Lewes)

2. An improvement notice requires a contravention to be remedied in a specified time. A prohibition notice, issued if there is, or is likely to be, a risk of serious personal injury requires an activity to be stopped until remedial action is taken to comply with health and safety law. The HSE may prosecute if either of these notices is not adhered to. During inspections, the HSE can also begin criminal proceedings if serious breaches are found.
3. The Prevention of Accidents to Children in Agriculture Regulations 1998 (SI 1998:3262) came into force on 29 January 1999. Copies of the Statutory Instrument are available from the HMSO. Copies of the Health & Safety Commission's (HSC's) publication titled Preventing accidents to children in agriculture - Approved Code of Practice (L116), ISBN 0 7176-1690-8, priced £5.50 are available online: http://books.hse.gov.uk
4. HSE inspectors carry out proactive inspections of workplaces to ensure compliance with relevant legal standards.
5. Health and safety failures currently cost Britain's employers up to £18 billion every year. Over 25 million working days are lost annually with over a million workers suffering from work-related accidents, and even more falling prey to work-related ill health.

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