Article By: Annie Davies
The Agricultural industry is now being argued as one of Britain’s most dangerous jobs. With recent statistics being published on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Agricultural Industry has produced figures for non-fatal injuries at work which are double the majority of any other industry combined. Most work carried out within this industry consists of using heavy machinery and equipment. Therefore, it is imperative that individuals put the safety of themselves and their employees first.
Most of the injuries which were reported to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) in 2017/18, caused pain and suffering to the individual for a period lasting over 7 days.
With such a fast-paced job and the pressure to continuously meet the demands of the business, it may be tempting for your employer to instruct you to cut corners, meaning your safety may be at risk. Jobs that normally require more than one person may have to be done solo and thus, your employer is putting your safety in jeopardy.
Long hours and continuous work may mean your equipment has become worn and unsafe. Have you been given the correct protective equipment to wear for the job you are completing, or have you received sufficient training for the piece of large machinery you have been asked to operate? These are all examples of some of the questions your employers should be asking themselves daily when working in such a dangerous field of work.
It is also common practice for machinery to be used on premises, in ways it was never designed to be used. If this is something you had always been told to do, you may believe this is normal practice and your employer is not committing an offence by asking you to do it. However, just because this is something you had always been asked to do, does not mean it is safe!
The Director of a Dairy Farm in Shropshire has recently been prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, for failing to protect both himself and others whilst working at a height. Two of the Director’s workers were ordered to be lifted in the bucket to work on two tanks, when suddenly and without warning, they both received an electric shock of 11,000 volts from the overhead cables.
An investigation took place on the farm and they found out that it was normal working practice to lift workers in the buckets of heavy machinery to gain regular access to buildings and other heights.
The Court held that the machinery had not been designed to lift workers at height. Instead, it was designed for general-purpose work on the farm. As the machinery had not been designed for what the Farm Director was additionally using it for, there were no safety plans or protection in place to safeguard the workers when they were asked to undertake those jobs. There had been a substantial and fundamental failure by the director of the farm to control the work and ensure it was effectively planned, supervised and carried out safely.
If you work in a similar industry that possesses a significant risk to your own health and safety, it is important the check the following points before you undertake a dangerous task:
- Are there any suitable risk assessments for the job you have been asked to do?
- Have you undergone any specific training which allows you to be competent in the job you are doing? Or;
- Have you been made aware of any potential risks, dangers or traps that may result from the work you are undertaking?
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If you have been involved in an accident at work that was not your fault, or if your employer has potentially breached their duty of care owed to you, contact Oakwood Solicitors today for a FREE initial consultation, or contact us online here to discuss how we can help you.
The Agricultural Industry has produced figures for non-fatal injuries at work which are double the majority of any other industry combined.
