The Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP), a collaboration of the key agricultural stakeholder organisations in Wales, is working together to raise awareness of transport and machinery safety.
The partnership works in conjuction with the the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to provide advice, guidance and top tips across a wide range of agriculture topics such as making your family farm a safe place and working at height on the farm
Their latest farm safety focus is on the safe use of transport and machinery - particularly highlighting safe stopping and encouraging regular vehicle maintenance - due to the number of resulting fatalities in the 2020/21 period.
1) Moving Vehicles
According to the HSE, 13 individuals were killed when struck by moving vehicles during the 2020/21 period, with incidents involving tractors, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), telescopic handlers and skid steer loaders. As this category proved the highest cause of fatalities, the WFSP has pulled together a collection of practical tips to help combat incidents which include:
• Ensure your vehicle is well maintained, especially brakes on trailers. Check tyre pressures routinely and regularly.
• Keep people and moving vehicles well apart
• Never carry passengers
• Always wear a seatbelt
• All drivers must be trained and competent
• Keep all mirrors and cab windows clean
• Ensure mirrors are correctly fitted, properly adjusted and always repaired promptly if damaged
• Ensure all loads are stable and secure
• Always check for people on the ground when driving – many vehicles, such as telescopic handlers have blind-spots
• Always follow Safe Stop
2) Overturned Vehicles
ATVs and tractors are two of the most well used machines on the farm, however they present significant risks of overturning - particularly pulling heavy and uneven loads. The WFSP's top tips for combating these types of incidents are:
• All drivers must be trained and competent
• Never carry passengers
• Always wear a seatbelt if the vehicle provides one
• All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) drivers must wear a suitable and approved ATV helmet
• Always maintain vehicles, trailers and any trailed implements or attachments in good order – routinely and regularly check tyre pressure, brakes and throttle
• Always secure any loads and make sure they are evenly balanced
• Always follow Safe Stop
3) Machinery
Following moving vehicles and livestock incidents, fatalities involving contact with machinery proved the third largest cause. Incidents involving power take-off (PTO) shaft, excavator buckets, tractors attachments and trailers were all of note. Top tips included:
• All drivers/operators must be trained and competent
• Only operate controls from the safe driving or operating position and make sure all drivers/operators know how to use them correctly
• Always ensure the vehicle or machine is in *Safe Stop mode before undertaking any maintenance tasks or checks, either in the field or the workshop
• Check all necessary guards are in position and in good order. Make sure you know what guards should be there and check they are securely in-position and in safe working order
• Regularly inspect all vehicles/machines to ensure they are properly maintained
Meet Aneurin Jones
Along with providing the top safety tips, The Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP) also sat down with Aneurin Jones in this insightful video. Jones opens up about his life-changing accident back in the harvest period of 2016, recalling the events of the night and the effects it has had on his life since then.