HSE backs mart venue

Farmers from across north Cumbria attended a safety and health awareness day
at Borderway Mart in October.

The Health and Safety Executive in the north west of England stage several of these events annually to highlight the dangers in an effort to cut farm accidents.

The HSE chose the mart as the venue for the first event in Cumbria for five years because of its easy access and familiarity with farmers as well as the space provided and its catering facilities.

Figures published by the HSE show that 45 people were killed as a result of farming and other agriculture-related activities in 2005/06. This compares with 47 in the previous year (2004/05) and an average of 49 over the previous 10 years.

Of the 45 people killed, 23 were farmers or self-employed workers, 13 were
employees and 9 were members of the public, of whom 6 were children.

HSE principal inspector for agriculture in the north west Tony Trenear said:
"This is a useful way of giving farmers simple, basic information. The instructors are from LANTRA and most are themselves farmers who know what they are talking about - not men in suits.
"Obviously, there are legal requirements but at these awareness days there is no emphasis on this it's simply giving farmers the message that if they follow sensible practice they will automatically comply with the law."

• transport (including vehicle overturns and being struck by a moving vehicle) - 16 deaths (36 per cent);

• falling from a height - 6 deaths (13 per cent);

• livestock-related (injury from contact with an animal) - 6 deaths (13 per cent);

• coming into contact with moving machinery - 5 deaths (11 per cent);

• being struck by a moving or falling object (eg. trees, bales etc) - 4 deaths (9 per cent);

The statistics reveal that the pattern of accident causation remains similar to that in previous years.

Once again transport related incidents were the major cause of death in the industry claiming 16 lives (36 per cent); Falls from a height resulted in 6 deaths (13 per cent); Injury from an animal resulted in 6 deaths (13 per cent); Machinery accounted for 5 deaths (11 per cent); and Struck by moving, falling or flying objects a further 4 deaths (9 per cent).

Almost all of these tragic deaths could have been avoided, as the risks and precautions are well known. The awareness day focused on transport, including telehandlers and ATVs,ladders and ladder access, working on roofs, power take-off and manual handling.

Farmers who attended the event are taken out of the HSE inspection programme for the year.

Further information can be found at www.hse.gov.uk The HSE is planning a similar event on Thursday March 8 in Lancaster tel 01772 836291 for details.

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