05 May HSA Farm Inspections
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) are carrying out a month long intensive farm inspection campaign in May 2017 with approximately 500 inspections planned with the focus on tractor and machinery safety.
Each year nearly half of all farm deaths, and many more serious accidents, are linked to tractors and machinery. There have been eight farm fatalities to date in 2017.
In an effort to reduce these accidents inspectors will be encouraging farmers to plan work and have systems in place that minimise risk particularly during silage harvesting.
Pat Griffin, Senior Inspector with the HSA said that many serious and fatal accidents on farms occur when someone is crushed or struck by machinery.
“The movement of machinery, whether in the yard or in a field, can be hazardous and farmers need to be aware of the risks, particularly if there are young children living on or visiting the farm. Incidents of crushing someone against a building, a wall, a gate or of farmers themselves being caught in crush zones are too common.
“Crush zones are generally between the tractor and an attachment or machine or indeed within the machine itself. Farmers need to identify these zones and ensure that the risk to themselves or others being crushed is eliminated.”
Guarding of machinery is also an important factor in preventing accidents and Pat Griffin says that unguarded moving parts on a tractor or machine are drawing-in hazards.
Source: www.independent.ie