Vehicles play a vital role in farm work, but incidents involving moving and overturning vehicles are the most common cause of serious and fatal injuries in agriculture. Figures published by the Health and Safety Executive show that there were 23 agricultural deaths from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024, a rise from 21 fatalities the previous year. Between April and September this year, a further 14 people have been killed in fatal incidents on UK farms, including 9 linked to moving machinery.
Incidents can happen when someone leaves a vehicle without making sure that it cannot move. To avoid such casualties, the vehicle’s braking system must be properly maintained, and any raised implements or loaders should be lowered. ‘Safe stop’ is the most important safety action of all: handbrake on, controls in neutral, engine switched off and key removed. These actions will prevent vehicles from moving when left, which will avoid anyone being injured or killed.
Employers should also ensure that all of their drivers are fully trained and competent to drive off-road and rural vehicles. Drivers should also be medically fit to drive and know how to safely enter and exit the vehicle. Passengers should not be in vehicle cabs unless they are sitting on a passenger seat in a safe position, and cannot impede the driver, accidentally contact the machine controls, or obscure the driver’s vision.
It is illegal to carry children under the age of 13 in the cab of an agricultural vehicle, and it is unsafe. Children can and do fall from the doorway or the rear window of the vehicle, distract the operator, and interfere with or unintentionally operate controls of the vehicle, for example the parking brake, when the operator leaves the cab to open a gate or complete a task. Any of these could result in the vehicle crushing a pedestrian by accident, through situations such as the vehicle rolling due to the brakes being taken off, or the operator being distracted and failing to see a pedestrian.
To mitigate these fatalities, it is important to ensure that all machinery is properly maintained and capable of safely performing the jobs required. Vehicles should also be inspected daily, and faults repaired promptly. Vehicles and pedestrians should be separate where possible, and pedestrians should be easily visible. Good visibility can be achieved by wearing hi-vis clothing on the yard or around moving vehicles.
A pedestrian should never approach or walk behind or beside a reversing vehicle; if you must approach a vehicle, ensure that you attract the driver’s attention and get them to stop. Audible alarms can be fitted to vehicles to warn when reversing, this can help to reduce the chance of someone being reversed over. It’s worth remembering that should these alarms be removed, the vehicle becomes defective!
Any visiting drivers should be aware of your rules, including parking areas and one-way systems. Pedestrian routes can be implemented, and vehicle operation is not to happen within those routes, which gives the operator an easy way to spot if there any pedestrians on site. The need to reverse on the yard should be reduced by adding turning circles and one-way systems; a driver is more likely to spot a pedestrian if they are going forwards, which could ultimately avoid an accident.
By following the guidance above, you can make your site significantly safer, reducing the risk of someone being struck and killed by a moving vehicle. Further information on safe workplace transport is available from the Health and Safety Executive.
For further advice on farm safety, please contact our Health and Safety team on 01981 590514 or visit Agricultural Health & Safety Help Service | CXCS
