Campaign calls for mandatory health and safety training for UK agriculture workers
A new campaign promoting mandatory health and safety training for those working in the UK agriculture industry has been launched.
Spearheading the campaign is ELA, the business support consultancy, which insists that the high rates of accident and injury in the UK farming industry could be addressed by placing the emphasis on employers to ensure all employees are trained in basic health and safety principles.
As well as bringing the accident rate down within the industry, ELAS is also hoping to reduce the number of potentially expensive lawsuits brought against employers for health and safety failings.
The head of health and safety at ELAS, Wayne Dunning, commented on the issue, saying:
“At present, anyone who employs staff to work in agriculture has a duty of care and must provide the relevant training or they could find themselves at the centre of a lawsuit should an employee be injured at work.
“What is needed is a period of mandatory training – which could be as little as half a day – covering topics such as working with animals, manual handling, emergency procedures, dealing with chemicals/hazardous substances and operating farm equipment.”