Reader safety tip: Open gates at arm’s length to avoid knocks

Devon farmer Rupert Shinner has won the Farmers Weekly safety tip of the month competition, run in association with Buckler Boots.

Mr Shinner, who breeds South Devon cattle and works on the family farm at Ivybridge, said his tip was one that had been taught to him as a child.

“My safety tip is to keep gates at a full arm’s length when shutting them behind livestock and sometimes when opening them.

See also: Reader safety tip: Wear your seat belt in the tractor

“This is to keep the gate as far away from your body as possible, without creating a ‘hinge’ with your elbow, while achieving the aim of containing the livestock if you are loading cattle or shutting cows into a collecting yard.

“Then if an animal does kick or move back, you move with the gate, rather than the gate very quickly moving towards your body and head.”

Mr Shinner wins a pair of boots of his choice from the Buckler Boot range.

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.