Introduction and

objectives

Alan Plom

IOSH Rural Industries Group Vice Chair,

RIG Events & Communications Coordinator

Consultant / trainer

10.10 – 10.45

• A forum + networking for OHS professionals in the rural sector.

• Regular updates, e-news, events, talks to local IOSH Branch meetings, etc.

• Not just ‘farming & forestry’ - A wide range of businesses derive income from the rural economy, incl:

• Estates, equine, hunting/fishing, fish farming, treework, landscaping, sports/groundcare, transport and utility maintenance, etc.

IOSH Rural Industries Group

We work closely with:

• Key rural sector organisations - national and international (including BALI)

• HSE’s Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee and Working Groups (and other national bodies)

• Farm Safety Partnership(s) in UK & Ireland

You can help us to promote & deliver

safer and healthier rural industries….

IOSH Rural Industries Group…. Represents the views and concerns of H&S specialists in rural industries

Other recent events

• ‘Trees, grass and caterpillars’ (+ film) Feb 2014 + May 2016 (Award Winners!)

• Tree safety management (x 3)

• Occupational water safety (+ 2 films)

• User-worked rail crossings

• Managing events (in public spaces -public safety, volunteers)

See RIG’s Past Events webpage:

http://www.iosh.co.uk/Membership/Our-membership-network/Our-Groups/Rural-Industries-Group/Past-events.aspx

Why:

“Trees….

…….Grass

&

…Caterpillars”?

Key Topics & Objectives for today:

• Share & learn good practice in managing trees, treework, grounds maintenance, landscaping, etc.

• The Regulator, Contractor and Industry bodies perspectives, on

• Engaging and managing competent contractors & staff • Case studies – relevant incidents and prosecutions.• Practical demonstrations of:

• Tree Work - MEWPS vs tree climbing, OHPLs, chain saws, wood chippers, ppe, training

• Working at Height – hedge/estate maintenance• Pesticides – application methods, ppe, National

Sprayer Testing Scheme• Use of ATVs/Quad bikes • Mowing on slopes: ride-on +remote control mowers• Occupational Health issues, eg Noise, HAVS & WBV,

‘natural’/environmental hazards, drugs & alcohol.

Tree management

Working on/up trees (Arboriculture)

Transport & Utility networks

Working at HeightHedges, Building Maintenance, etc

Working at height

- Safe equipment?

- Safe operator?

- Safe ground?

- Training for all situations vital

- 22 yr old council employee, fell 35ft when MEWP overturned on soft ground (July 2012)

- Bradford DC fined £12k

People can be…. inventive…..

Grass - Not always a ‘level playing field’!!!

Working on Slopes:Death, injury or near ‘miss’?

Working on or near water?

………………“Caterpillars” ? (and other ‘natural’ hazards)

‘Health & Wellbeing’ issues include:

- Drugs & Alcohol – testing?

- Lone & remote working

- Long hours/ Fatigue

- Driving

- Mobile phones

- Sun/Skin cancer

Other common health hazards?

Pesticides - Risks to operators, public & environment

National Sprayer Test Scheme

Number of sprayer tests 2015/16 = 15,958

Other equipment 1,103(Granular, fogging & slug pellets)

Amenity SectorTotal number of tests 545

To 20/01/17 409To 20/01/16 364

Test Centres 260Examiners 520

National Sprayer Test Scheme

National Sprayer Test Scheme (NSTS)

- Ensures efficiency of sprayer

- Reduces costly downtime

- Savings in chemical usage

- Accurate application

- Contributes to operator safety

- Ensures public confidence

- Reduces bystander exposure

- Helps ensure success of Voluntary Initiative

- Compliance with SUD*/Regulation

- *Sustainable Use Directive 2009/128/EC

Machinery hazards

Transport + working on/near roads

Some people do silly things….

Ensuring Competence -Contractors & Employees

Review, Questions &

Feedback – What next?

Chaired by Alan Plom

Vice Chair, IOSH Rural Industries Group

15.40 – 16.00

Thanet Council HAVS case (Nov ‘16)

- Strimmers used for 6 hrs/day

- for up to 10 yrs

- with no risk assessment or controls in place until 2014 .

- 12 grounds maintenance workers diagnosed with HAVS

- + 40 others referred to ‘Occupational Health’.

- Fined £250k + £18k

- Judge took account of Council's cash reserves already ‘dangerously low’.

- Civil claims will follow

- Total payouts likely to run into £millions….

NB. HSE Info Sheet on HAV in Amenity Horticulture due May 2017

Case Study: The wrong tool (7/16)

- IP received no training from LA, had never read or been directed to manuals for the equipment he used in his job – didn’t even know where kept!

- IP shown training video after incident -specifically stated this type of blade not to be used on the saw.

- Blade was purchased by a council manager.

- LA pleaded guilty to PUWER, Regs 4(2) &(3).

- Level of fine?

- Fined £500,000 (+ £8k costs)!!!

Why £500,000 fine?

- First LA fined under Sentencing Guidelines (2/16)

- Judge set Council’s culpability as medium because clear warnings in manual.

- Emphasis on potential harm rather than actual harm.

- Likelihood of injury = high and potential = level A. (“It could have been fatal if blade had come down on his neck it + manual warned about that.”) =Category 1 offence.

- LA’s turnover assessed on annual budget (£159m 2016-17) = a large organisation.

- Potential fine = £1.3m (range £800k to £3.25m) -Judge allowed for guilty plea and potential cuts in LA services.

- Council considered appeal because penalty too high!

Treework Guidance

Pesticides Guidance

• Amenity Forum – “10 Golden Rules”

+ model contract & updates on website

• Plant Protection Products ACoP

• HSE/CRD guidance on amenity use

• CPA leaflet “Amenity Best Practice

- Using pesticides in the community”

• BASIS ‘Amenity Assured’ scheme:

Professional Register, training, updates

• National Amenity Sprayer Operator Register (NASOR)

• National Sprayer Test Scheme (NSTS) –(Manufacturers/AEA)

• BALI, IoG, Greenkeepers (GTC)

Other ‘Amenity’ publications (also via websites) eg GTC; HSE’s ‘Farmwise’, Ag Info Sheets & DVDs; Farm Safety P’ship; ENA, BALI, IoG, BAGMA, etc…..

Working on roadsGuidance

- ‘Red Book’ - Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice (revd 1/10/14) - under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA)

- ‘Chapter 8’: Traffic Signs Manual - Safety Measures and Signs for Road Works and Temporary Situations.

- Waste 24: ‘WISH’ guidance on ‘Safe Cleansing on the Highway’. [Published on CIWM website Dec 2016.]

- National Highways Sector Scheme 18 (& 12):Sets standards + contractors register with BALI[Available at: http://www.ukas.com/ ]

Machine Safety - ‘Safe Stop’

Many accidents would not have occurred if the 4 simple ‘Safe Stop’ steps had been followed:

1.Handbrake on.

2.Controls in neutral.

3.Engine off

4.Remove key.

Training - New communication & training methods + on-line tools, webinars, in-house ‘SHADs’ or ’Stand-Down’ days, etc

Evidence of Training & Certification

IOSH resources

• ‘No Time To Lose’ campaign materials

eg skin cancer, silica dust

• ‘Landscaper Gardener’ ‘Start-up’ Guide

• ‘Procurement Guide’ - HSE’s Public Services Sector worked with IOSH PS Industry Group to produce generic web-based guidance for LAs etc,

• Available on IOSH website at: www.iosh.co.uk

112 Emergency Texts - when no signal

- Do you know how to improve your mob reception? (Turn 180 deg!)

- When poor mobile phone signal you can still contact Emergency Services by SMS text via 112.

- 112 = Europe-wide emergency number & also many non-European countries.

- You must register your mobile phone number for the 112 SMS service, by texting ‘register’ (lower case) to 999 - then reply ‘yes’ when asked to confirm.

- See film:

- ‘Help Me – the secrets of using 112 on a mobile phone in an emergency / accident’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPZv_8dABfU

Review of Objectives for today:

• Share & learn good practice in managing trees, treework, grounds maintenance, landscaping, etc.

• The Regulator, Contractor and Industry bodies perspectives, on

• Engaging and managing competent contractors & staff • Case studies – relevant incidents and prosecutions.• Practical demonstrations of:

• Tree Work - MEWPS vs tree climbing, OHPLs, chain saws, wood chippers, ppe, training

• Working at Height – hedge/estate maintenance• Pesticides – application methods, ppe, National

Sprayer Testing Scheme• Use of ATVs/Quad bikes • Mowing on slopes: ride-on +remote control mowers• Occupational Health issues, eg Noise, HAVS & WBV,

‘natural’/environmental hazards, drugs & alcohol.

Moving forward? What more can we do for the industry?

• Leadership - Enhance involvement/ representation, eg working relationship with industry bodies?

• Presence at shows and events?

• Reflect industry + HSE (& IOSH) priorities

• Improve flow of information, eg on recent incidents, lessons learned, etc.

What more can we do for YOU?

• Events? Articles? Resources? (What topics?)

• IOSH LinkedIn Group?

• IOSH webinars?

Please complete IOSH Event Evaluation Sheet

What we are all trying to avoid

What can you do for us?