Member Article

Passport scheme to promote safety on farms

North West business support firm ELAS has devised a safety scheme designed to help farm owners and agricultural workers.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, the agricultral industry has one of the worst fatal accident records of any employment sector.

HSE statistics show that just less than 1.5 per cent of the working population is employed in agriculture, but the sector records between 15% and 20% of fatalities to workers each year.

The Employment Law Advisory Service (ELAS), based in Manchester, has developed its ‘Agricultural Safety Passport’ to support farm owners and to ensure that staff fully understand the importance of safety at work.

The course offers key advice about risk management, vehicle safety and operating machinery, and ensuring a safe and sustainable future. The ELAS Agricultural Safety Passport is free to farm owners allowing them to train all employees, whether family members, seasonal staff or migrant workers.

Wayne Dunning, lead health and safety consultant at ELAS, says: “The agriculture industry continues to score the highest in ill-heath according to the HSE, the results of which are devastating to farmers, their workers and families.

“Farm owners working together with ELAS can go some way towards tackling what is a very prevalent issue in the agricultural community. Ensuring they strike a balance between making a good living and ensuring that they do so safely.”

As well as supporting farmers, ELAS provides business services such as HR, payroll services, DBS checks, employment law advice and social media training to businesses both in the North West and nationally.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .