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Industry: Agriculture

Introduction:

Injuries and illness can ruin lives and businesses. Solutions are often simple and cheap and the people best placed to make farms safer are farmers and their employees.

Health and safety is a fundamental requirement for any business and should be regarded as an essential part of farm business management.

Taking risks is an underlying problem in the industry and those working on their own are especially vulnerable along with children and older farmers.

Ask the Expert here   Resources on this topic can be downloaded here

Key Messages/Current Issues:

  • Machinery/Equipment

    HSENI reminds farmers and contractors of the importance of operating hedge cutters safely on or near the public road. AIS21 gives more information on this issue.

    • The complexity of modern machinery and their use could contribute greatly to incidents on farms.

    • Machinery and equipment must be suitable for the job, maintained so they can be used safely and fitted with the correct guards required by law.

    • Be aware of overhead power lines when using high reach machinery or equipment both in the farm yard and out in the fields.

    • It is illegal for children under the age of 13 years to operate, ride on or drive agricultural machinery. This includes driving tractors and being carried as a passenger.

    Livestock

    • All bulls should be ringed

    • Housed bulls should be kept in a properly designed bull pen

    • Cull aggressive bulls before it’s too late

    • Handle freshly calved cows with great care

    • Safe, well designed facilities are essential for testing livestock

    • Releasing housed livestock in spring is a high risk activity

    • Where possible check grazing livestock from a safe distance or use a vehicle as a refuge

  • Farm Safe Website

    Visit our Stay Farm Safe website!

    Safe Farm Safe Website

    Kids/Older Farmers

    • Children are particularly vulnerable because of their immaturity, lack of awareness of risks, and inexperience.

    • Young children must be well supervised and kept away from places where vehicles are moving. A segregated play area is essential where children live close to a working farm yard.

    • As we get older our reactions are slower which will have an effect on our response time, this is crucial when in certain situations

    Avoid Ill Health at Open Farms

    New information sheet for children visiting open farms.

  • Working with slurry

    Safe System of work for mixing slurry

    1. If possible, mix on a windy day.
    2. Keep children away from the area at all times when working with slurry.
    3. Take all animals out of the building before starting to mix slurry.
    4. Open all doors and windows.
    5. Use outside mixing points first.
    6. If slats are removed, cover exposed areas of the tank beside the pump/mixer to stop anything falling in.
    7. Start the pump/mixer and then stay out of the building for as long as possible - at least 30 minutes or longer depending on the size of the tank.
    8. If you have to go into the building make sure that another adult, who knows what you are doing, stays outside the building and can get help if needed.
    9. If you have to re-enter the house to move the pump, or change the direction of the pump, then you need to leave the building as soon as this is done. Do not go back in for as long as possible - at least another 30 minutes or longer depending on the size of the tank.
    10. Avoid naked flame, as slurry gas mixture is flammable.
    11. Do not stand close to the pump/exhaust of a vacuum tanker when it is being filled.

    Download HSENI's slurry gas safety leaflet.

Key Legislation

The Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (HSW Order)

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

The Agriculture (Safety of Children and Young Persons) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Please note that these links are to the original legislation, visitors should verify for themselves whether legislation is in force or whether it has been amended or repealed