After the constant rain over the past few weeks, it was refreshing to see high pressure settle over the country last weekend. The fine weather allowed farmers and growers to catch up on lost time. Many took advantage of the dry conditions by getting their machines back into the fields to cultivate the land.
As we head into the summer and the growing season, a lot more equipment will be used. This can bring hidden dangers as, from now on, the likelihood of more accidents will increase. When it comes to accidents in the workplace, our industry doesn’t have a great record. The agricultural sector sees the highest rate of deaths in the workplace. I often mention this in my blog but I feel the need to write about it again is important. According to a recent Teagasc report, 42% of all vehicle fatalities that occurred between 2011 and 2020 were in agriculture. Reducing the number of machine related accidents cannot be over emphasised.
Accidents using farm equipment was brought home to me recently when a friend of mine was involved in a serious accident involving a tractor. He is a very experienced farmer and knows how a tractor works like the back of his hand. However, on this particular day his confidence went a bit too far. He was ploughing a field and saw a large stone ahead of him. He decided to jump out of the tractor, while it was still moving, and remove the stone. The tractor was travelling in low gear so he estimated that he had plenty of time to do this. When he attempted to get back into the tractor, he lost his grip and fell to the ground. The back wheel of the tractor drove over him and he suffered some serious injuries. Thankfully and luckily for him and his family, he made a complete recovery. Had he tried to get into the tractor from the other side, not only would the back wheel of the tractor have driven over him but the plough would have gone through him as well.
It was a big wake-up call for my friend. He got away with it. Some have not been so lucky. He realised that, no matter how confident you are with equipment, you must respect them when using them. He won’t try that stunt again.
Bigger tractors are now being sold to farmers but this can lead to extra hidden dangers. These farm vehicles must move and operate within the relatively small areas of Irish farmyards, roads and fields. Farmers require high levels of skill and experience to operate them safely. Knowing where the blind spots are on these tractors is important so as to avoid hitting family members or neighbours. According to the same Teagasc report, being crushed or struck by farm machinery causes 80% of vehicle-related farm deaths.
As dealers, we should take some responsibility in ensuring that our customers are aware of the dangers that exist when operating equipment. We are not just about selling machines. Our after sales service should also include health and safety. Let’s play our part in trying to reduce vehicle related accidents in the workplace.
