Accidents

Ladders – using them safely

Ladders – that indispensable tool for getting to those difficult to reach areas. The tasks they’re used for may seem innocuous but the outcome can be nasty if not done correctly

Problem is, technically, as soon as you put your foot on that first rung you’re “working at height” and you come under the “Work at Height Regulations 2005” (rather than link to the Regulations themselves here’s a link to the HSE’s page about Preventing Falls).

Sounds silly but most non-fatal injuries happen with falls of 2m or less.

12% of non-fatal injuries within the agriculture sector for 2016-17 were ‘falls from height’ (see these statistics). That increases to 18% for fatal injuries!

There are a number of misconceptions regarding ladders and ‘health and safety’. Some think that ladders are not a safe way of working at height or accessing higher levels. That’s simply not the case – it’s all about using them correctly and safely.

Using a ladder safely

First off – your ladders need to be in a useable condition. Broken rungs of bent stiles (the longer ‘sides’ of the ladder) are the more obvious signs of damage but, if your ladder extends, make sure that the locks or hooks are not missing or bent. Metal ladders have feet that help provide grip at the bottom. Make sure they’re not missing and if you ladder is wooden make sure that it’s not rotten – we’ve all seen that ladder that’s been lying outside, behind a shed, then been put to use!

Make sure it’s the best tool for the job. If the job in hand is likely to take more than 30 minutes you should consider a more suitable way to work at height. That might be scaffold or an elevated platform. The recommendation is that 3 points of contact be maintained. For a short while such as holding a screw or a nail then both hands is not possible but a steady position needs to be held (not leaning or over stretching).

Is the ground the ladder is to be used on level and firm? If there’s a likelihood of slipping is the ladder the best option? As a last resort get somebody to ‘foot’ the ladder for you.

Use the ladder within its limits.

  • Use the 1 in 4 rule – for every meter away from the wall at the bottom the ladder should be 4m up the wall.
  • Don’t overload the ladder using it to carry heavy objects to height
  • Don’t over-reach

For a good, easy to read, overview of using a ladder safely see the HSE’s brief guide “Safe use of ladders and stepladders” available as a free download.

Ultimately, it comes down to looking at the task to be done and asking:

  • Is the ladder the best option?
  • Is the ladders fit to use?
  • Can it be used safely?

If the answer’s “no” to any of those then reconsider. Look at the HSE’s Preventing Falls page for more information

Safe Climbing!

Looking out for Hazards

One of the first things to do when assessing the risks around your farm is to identify the hazards 1.

You can do this in a couple of ways:

  • Awareness of Hazards – Keep an eye out for hazards as you go about your work, and/or
  • Hazards in the task – Look at the tasks or jobs you need to do, including the infrequent ones. Consider each stage of the work involved with that task with a view to identifying the hazards that present themselves.

Awareness of Hazards

As you move around your farm, your fields, buildings, implements and machinery try and get in to the habit of noticing things that might prove to be a hazard.

  • Those gates leaning against the wall – could they fall if someone tried to climb them?
  • The old steps up to the granary – would a handrail be a good idea?
  • If a tractor comes around that corner would it be able to see anyone (a pedestrian, delivery driver…) and stop in time?

Some of these hazards can be addressed easily and it’s best to do those straight away (tie up the gates, for example). It’s a busy game, farming, and it can be very easy to put it off. If the hazard can’t be tackled there and then you’d best make a note of it (how likely are you to remember it when you get 5 minutes?). Again, if you’re busy it can be a pain but maintaining a safe working environment is a legal responsibility.

By making a note of these potential hazards you are taking the first steps to having a plan to manage the health and safety on your farm.

This could simply be a few words jotted in a notebook that, later on, you add to a list somewhere that you can refer to later. A spreadsheet for those who are comfortable with a computer or a notepad specifically for your Health and Safety ‘stuff’.

In the beginning you may have a long(ish) list of things that might need to be tackled. But, as time goes on, and some of the hazards are dealt with, you should, hopefully, spot fewer and fewer potential accidents2 waiting to happen.

Until circumstances on your farm change, that is!

Next, we’ll look at hazards from a ‘task’ viewpoint.

Farmers Stories

Farmers stories are one of the best illustrations of how ‘easy’ it can be to become involved in a situation on the farm where you could suffer injury or, at worst, be killed. Hearing it from ‘the horses mouth’ can provide a powerful message.

Unfortunately, where a fatality occurred this can’t happen. However eye-witness accounts and official investigations can provide insights into how the events unfolded. These, in turn, can help others prevent a similar set of circumstances happening to them or those they affect with their business.

Farmers Stories

The HSE has created a page with a range of stories and accounts detailing a wide selection of scenarios where accidents happened on farms.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/makethepromise/farmersstories/index.htm

Take the time to read some or even all of these. Consider if you have had a similar experience and, by ‘luck, had gotten away with it.

Even if the specific details of the stories don’t reflect the circumstances on your farm they may prompt you to think about other areas and activities that may pose a risk.

Farm Owners Fined £85,000 for Electrocution

“This tragic incident could easily have been prevented…”

A scrap metal collector was electrocuted when the crane he was using hit overhead power lines. Earlier this month the farm owners were fined £85,000 plus costs for breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

Section 3 (1) of the HASWA states:

3. General duties of employers and self-employed to persons other than their employees.
(1)It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.

As reported by the Chester Chronicle HSE inspector Jane Carroll said:

“This tragic incident could easily have been prevented if the farm partnership had acted to identify and manage the risks involved with overhead power lines on their land, and to put a safe system of work in place.

The dangers associated with OHPL are well known and a wealth of advice and guidance is freely available from HSE and other energy suppliers.”

Although there were warning signs in place the driver had a sensitivity to bright light that made them difficult to see.

Unfortunately, the scrap metal that was to be collected was under the overhead power lines.

Although pre-arranged the collection of the scrap (old IBC cages) was unsupervised.

Next steps?

  • Take a walk around your farm now and make a note of any overhead hazards within your farm and fields.
  • Draw up a map (even a sketch) showing where these hazards are.
  • Do you need to install signs warning people of the hazards? See the Resources on this page of the HSE’s site.
  • Make sure any contractors or delivery drivers (as well as your own staff) know of these potential hazards if they are going to be working in the vicinity. Point them out (and/or give them a map?).
  • Try to avoid any work, “so far as is reasonably practicable”, having to be done under or near the power lines.