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UK News - Breaking news in the field of health and safety
Rural duty holders' eyes opened to big workplace killers
The latest in a series of HSE/Environment Agency seminars was held last week in the North Yorkshire and County Durham region as part of its strategy for getting health and safety information through to people and organisations that have responsibilities and duties in the agriculture industry, including those in the broader business community as well as occupiers and managers of rural land.The event incorporated an eye-opening, behind the scenes 'simulated' inspection of a farm near Scotch Corner, and delegates attending the seminar at Sedbury Hall, Gilling West, Richmond, learned of the ways that persons working on the land, and sometimes members of their families, lose their lives to the major killers - working at heights and workplace transport.In 2003-04 one person was killed and 45 were injured in the agriculture industry in North Yorkshire.
Other subjects covered were:
stringent new legislation on the storage of fuel oils and farm effluent;
general asbestos management; and
the Health and Safety at Work Act.
"Agriculture is unique in that vulnerable groups such as children and elderly people form part of the farming community and figure regularly in the statistics for serious injuries and deaths on farms. It is imperative that children are not exposed to workplace hazards and that older people make a reasonable assessment of their physical and technical capabilities before carrying out work on the farm. The hope is that the lessons learned from this event will be passed on to staff working on the farms and businesses managed by the participants, improving safety for workers and reducing the number of injuries and fatalities." - Health and Safety Inspector who organised the event.
