Accident highlights need to reduce machinery risks

Farmers have been told to properly assess and minimise risks from dangerous parts of machinery.

The plea follows an accident in which a farm employee was seriously injured when his arm was drawn into the rollers of a potatograding machine.

Lincoln Magistrates Court heard how on October 21 2016 an employee of Leverton Brothers was cleaning and emptying a potatograding machine when his right arm was drawn into the unguarded contra-rotating haulm rollers.

To check that the grader was emptying, the employee climbed on to the side of it and reached across in an attempt to move the remaining potatoes. His glove was caught by the rollers, drawing his arm in, and it took 45 minutes to release him.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found a safe stop procedure could have been followed, and that the contra-rotating rollers should have been guarded.

Farming partners David and Philip Leverton admitted breaching Regulation 3 (1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. They were each fined £5,000 and each ordered to pay costs of £892.10.