No need to apologise for staying safe on farm
No need to apologise for staying safe on farm
No need to apologise for staying safe on farm
I recently took part in an industry visit with a group of farmers. After the general introductions, the host felt the need to apologise because we would have to listen to some health and safety notices, and the appropriate kit would have to be worn.
The visit was amazing, and I know all the farmers were really pleased with what they had seen and learned, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the day starting with an apology – why?
Why is it so awkward to ask people to wear PPE or do something safely? After all, it’s their life you're protecting!
Why are apologies felt to be necessary before talking about health and safety? We don’t apologise for talking about the new bit of tech we've bought to make our lives easier.
Why can’t we all take personal responsibility to make sure we and those working around us get home safely?
Surely 10 minutes spent listening to information, or stopping to think and plan a task, is much preferable to having somebody let your family know that you won’t be returning home as the same person that left the house earlier that day – or, worse, that you won’t be returning at all.
Yet a staggering 18 times this year already, somebody has had that dreadful task of letting someone know that their child, parent, or friend has died.
Really is time to take health and safety seriously on-farm
Time and time again, there are examples of bad practices or health and safety not being taken seriously. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard people being called out for questioning poor behaviours and practices. Yes, it may take longer. Yes, it may cost a little bit more. But can you afford not to and live with the potentially life-changing consequences?
Health and safety training - and this blog - may seem like they’re teaching you to suck eggs, and maybe it's not as exciting as watching your favourite sports team, but it could, and will, keep you and the people working around you safe.
Sadly, it’s all too common when you work in agriculture to know somebody affected by injury or fatality at work, yet we still haven’t seen a mass change in attitude.
Changing behaviour and attitudes may seem like a long road, but it is possible. Many of us will remember hard-hitting drink driving advertising campaigns, which, while uncomfortable to watch, achieved a massive shift in attitudes across the country. Is this what it will take for people in our industry to sit up and realise things must change? If not, you could easily be the subject of the next HSE notification.
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