Death and injuries prompt potato harvest warning

Date:

21 September 2009

Release No:

E081:09

As the main potato harvesting season gets under way, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is calling on farmers and contractors to take extra care.

The plea comes after a 34-year-old man was killed in Fife earlier this month while apparently working on a potato harvester that was powered up.

HSE is also investigating an incident in which a Lincolnshire worker suffered severe cuts trying to clear a chopping mechanism and another where a Cambridgeshire farmer had his arm crushed when it was dragged into some cleaning rollers.

Said Tony Mitchell of HSE's agriculture and food sector:

'There have been three deaths involving potato harvesters in the past seven years and many more serious incidents besides.

'It is essential that proper systems are in place for cleaning machinery, fixing it or removing blockages. It must be switched off before any work is attempted on it.

'We understand that farmers are under immense time pressures, with the weather often another obstacle to contend with, but this should not mean they take short cuts with safety, risking a lifetime of disability or death. This not only impacts on them, but also their families and their livelihoods.

In the past five years, 82 workers suffered fatal injuries between July and October, with deaths during these four harvest months accounting for almost half of all deaths in agriculture since 2004/05.

Encouraging farmers to stop and think is a key message of HSE's 'Make the promise. Come home safe' campaign. The campaign, which aims to help reduce death and injury in the sector by raising awareness of the risks, already has 15,000 farmers signed up.

HSE has published an information sheet 'Safe use of potato harvesters' which is available online at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais13.htm

A Safe Potato Handling DVD has been produced by the Potato Council with support from HSE, the National Farmers Union (NFU) and Grimme UK. Visit www.potato.org.uk/ for more information.

For more general information on safety in agriculture visit www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture

Notes to editors

1. In the five year period from 2004/05 to 2008/09 there were 82 deaths during the harvest period (July-October) out of a total of 184 deaths. Not all of the harvest period deaths were the result of harvest activities - some were related to livestock and forestry or other activities.
2. HSE is working closely with the industry to help it reduce the number of work-related deaths and injuries. HSE produces health and safety guidance for farmers, organises free health and safety awareness days, provides information and advice through farm visits, by telephone and at agriculture shows. It also monitors the health and safety performance of the industry and, where necessary, takes enforcement action against employers who endanger lives.

Press enquiries

All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the HSE Press Office