New Year, New Attitude? – Dan Wood (Chippenham) 

As the new year rolls in (literally for some!) our thoughts usually turn to New Year Resolutions.  Lose weight, save money, stop smoking or achieve a goal.  How about a positive attitude towards Health and Safety?

A term that brings up images of red tape, conkers being banned and men in high vis and hard hats, but with the farming sector still causing the highest number of fatalities in the workplace, we all need to be more aware of this very important area on farms.

There are three main reasons that a positive attitude towards Health & Safety is important to all farming businesses.  The first being legal obligations, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act and the associated regulations such as Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER).  Closely tied to the legal obligations are the financial reasons, from fines to downtime and more recently health and safety being part of Red Tractor and other assurance schemes and many supplier contracts.

The final reason is our moral duties, both to employees, colleagues, and ourselves.  We have a moral obligation to provide a safe work environment for our employees without putting them in risky situations or placing them under pressure to complete a task quickly at the expense of safety.  This also means fostering an environment where employees feel able to talk about areas that they do not feel safe working in, as well as their mental health. 

The goal of a positive attitude towards health and safety is not to put barriers in the way of productivity, but to make sure that we all return home to our families at the end of the day.  Let’s hope that 2022 sees a happier and healthier year for all and a reduction in fatalities on farms.

Contact Dan at danwood@fcgagric.com for an expert look at making your business a safer working environment.