Farmer Focus: Improving machinery could stop accidents
© Angela Waites Photography We never run out of jobs on this farm. Regardless of the weather, there’s always something to do, whether it’s cleaning, servicing, modifying or improving something (we love a project!).
Sometimes our modifications are to make a machine run better, or try a different method on a peppercorn budget, but often they are simply to improve the safety and convenience of operators doing a job.
See also: Dying to Feed You: James was dragged into a potato harvester
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Virtually every agricultural manufacturer seems to have very heavy pens when it comes to writing invoices these days, in terms of improving visibility and convenience on roads, ease of cleaning down or reducing the chance of operator injury – they are frankly way behind where they need to be.
Recently I got on my little soapbox on Twitter, and highlighted this issue alongside the poor reporting and actions of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which seems to focus on extracting money, rather than preventing reoccurring accidents.
Every year, someone gets pulled into a potato harvester somewhere. In fact, a farmer was recently fined for this.
Rarely have I read of the HSE speaking to manufacturers and discussing how machines can be improved to prevent this happening.
It would only take all extraction rollers to be reversible from the cab, and the need for frustrated operators to climb up and kick blockages out of running potato harvesters would reduce dramatically.
We all know it’s stupid, but these accidents keep happening – fining farmers will not stop this, improving machinery just might.
It doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive – road lights, particularly on mounted equipment and cultivators, are absolutely woeful, some are even void of even the most basic reflectors.
Some machines need operators to go underneath them periodically to clean, maintain or adjust things.
I know of none that have easy-to-use props that can be dropped down in seconds to protect operators underneath from injury should hydraulic failure occur.
We have done many modifications on machines to this end over the years, and there’s lots more that can be done.
It’s all about making the safe way the easy way, because we can all be guilty of cutting corners when the pressure is on. Come home safe.
Staying sharp shouldn't be a chore
