Farmers Weekly reader safety tip: Take keys out of ignition

Herefordshire farmer Robert Davies is this month’s winner of Farmers Weekly’s health and safety tip of the month competition run in association with Buckler Boots.

Mr Davies, who farms a 162ha mixed enterprise near Ross on Wye, said he learned his health and safety tip from a neighbouring farmer, when he was doing his Youth Training Scheme.

He said: “I was sent into the bowels of the combine to clean it out and my boss said to take the key with me, so that way no-one could start it up. This applies to every piece of machinery from a combine to a mixer wagon and now I pass it on to any student coming on to my farm.

“So if you are working on a machine, and are somewhere you may not been seen, always put the ignition key in your pocket to avoid anyone starting the machine, without realising you are inside. It is so doable and costs you nothing, but it could save your life, ” he added.

See more health and safety advice at www.fwi.co.uk/safety

If you have a safety tip you would like to share, that might help raise awareness of the dangers of working in agriculture, then send it to jonathan.riley@rbi.co.uk.

Every month the person who sends in the best tip for our online health and safety page will win a pair of Buckler Boots.

This month, safety tip winner Mr Davies, picked the most popular Buckler Boot from his local dealer, Ross Farm Machinery, the Buckflex safety dealer boot worth £60 excl. VAT.