Farmer fined after man gets stuck in harvester

Worker seriously injured while trying to unblock machine

A farmer from Sellindge has been fined after a worker was injured when he became entangled in a potato harvester.

Folkestone Magistrates’ Court heard that on August 21, 2020, the worker tried to unblock the machine on the farm when he stepped down onto the contra-rotating rollers.

He was pulled leg first into the machine and became stuck up to his knee.

This resulted in burns to the leg, a pulled hamstring, torn calf, broken nerves and hairline fractures to the knee and ankle.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the farmer had failed to implement a ‘safe stop procedure’ which would have isolated power and stopped the movement of the rollers before the worker accessed them.

Alan Down of Main Road, Sellindge, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1)(b) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

He was fined £4,992 and ordered to pay costs of £5,805.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Sam Brown said: “Too often we see incidents like this, where maintenance is carried out on live machinery and the principles of ‘safe stop’ and safe maintenance are ignored.

“The agricultural industry accounts for around 1% of the workforce in Great Britain, yet it accounts for 20% of worker deaths. Many of these deaths are due to poor working practices while carrying out maintenance on machinery.

“In addition, many more workers are seriously injured each year due to unsafe working practices while working on machinery.

“Those undertaking maintenance work on agricultural machinery should ensure that the principles of ‘safe stop’ are followed.”

Picture: GETAPIC.CO.UK The air ambulance was called to the incident in Sellindge in August 2020; the worker was injured when he tried to unblock a potato harvester