Five steps to improving farm safety

With improving weather conditions over the next week, there will be a flurry of field work taking place as farmers look to get silage, fertiliser and slurry spreading up to date.

For many farmers early July is a period when cattle are brought in for their first worm drench. With plenty of tasks to be completed, farm safety can be overlooked.

However, taking shortcuts to speed up the completion of tasks can lead to accidents, both with minor and severe consequences.

While safe working conditions are paramount for everyone working on-farm, it is even more critical that safety is enforced where young family members are working on farm now that school holidays are underway.

Outlined are five areas to be on the lookout for safe working conditions.

Farms are a working environment and should always be viewed as such. Children should not be allowed access to farmyards when machinery is being operated.

In cases were children are entering the farmyard, they should always be accompanied by an adult.

Also, it is a good idea to have children wearing a high-visibility jacket to make them easier to identify should machinery be moving in the yard.

The improvement in weather is leading to a a lot of silage activity at present. Keep children away from silage pits and away from moving machinery.

With delayed harvesting, silage yields are much heavier than other years. As such, silage clamps are being filled to capacity and in some cases, farmers are trying to squeeze extra grass into clamps.

This puts clamp walls under pressure. Make sure walls are re-enforced properly to avoid cracking under stress.

When buck-raking and covering the pit, take care around the perimeter wall of the clamp. Ideally, there should be railings to prevent falls from occurring.

With silage harvesting underway, slurry will be the next task to be completed. Always ensure there is plenty of ventilation in sheds once the slurry pump is started.

Once the PTO is engaged, get out of the shed immediately. The first few minutes of mixing are the most lethal is terms of fumes.

When working with slurry, never leave access to tanks open and unguarded to people or animals. Do not assume that others will approach the tank with the same caution as yourself.

Also, cover any opening and place cones or tape to warn others of the hazard risk.

For many farmers, calves and store cattle will be due a worm dose in early July. Herding cattle into confined areas will increase stress levels in animals, especially in cows with calves at foot as they will become more protective of their offspring.

Ensure that handling pens are safe to operate, gates are working properly and that restraining head locks hold animals securely.

As the herd owner, you set the example for others to follow. Always move cattle at their pace, not at a rushed pace just to suit you.

Yelling and prodding cattle with sticks will put animals under stress and increase the risk of injuries in man and beast.

Also, do not climb on bars to reach cattle in the race and when entering a loading pen, ensure you have an escape route in the event of an emergency.

With the breeding period also in progress, make sure that anyone entering fields to check on cows are aware of the stock bull or any animals with poor temperament.

With an increase in field work, ensure that all PTO guards are in place and securely fastened. When attaching an implement, always stop the tractor and ensure the handbrake is applied when stationary to avoid machines from rolling and causing accidents from crushing.

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