Friday, March 29, 2024

FROM THE RIDGE: On-farm safety a matter of life, death

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This week I feel a need to write about farm accidents causing death and injury, particularly motorbikes, but tractors have also recently taken lives, and animals remain problematic as well.
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Our area has had a bad series of deaths lately and it has shaken all of us, and of course deeply and profoundly affected the families and friends of these poor people.

One death is one too many and just locally we have seen several in recent months and three in this new year already.

I know there have been other fatalities in other parts of the country over the summer as well.

I’m not going to talk about any of the specifics of these tragedies but like suicide, it is something we need to keep discussing and working on ways to prevent it happening again.

A lot of scrutiny will come on these machines, but it comes down to how we are using them, and we continue to show not very well.

A big problem currently is how long the grass is after an explosive growth spurt in November. When riding around the farm, you just can’t see the holes, dips, pinecones (they can be problematic on my two-wheeler), sticks and logs.

Because of this, I’ve been cautious. But even caution is not enough.

Before Christmas I was mustering some lambs on my two-wheeler and going very carefully and slowly down a small slope. Next thing I know the front wheel flicks out and I’m thrown off into the Californian thistles and, as I’m going slowly, my right leg is stuck under the bike. And, because I’m downhill of the bike, I must use my other leg to lift the bike up to pull myself out.

Fortunately, I’m not hurt but get up, muttering about how I’m too old for this bloody carry on.

I look in the grass to see what caused this minor accident and it’s a small, wet and thus slippery stick. Like one you would throw for a dog.

And yes, I recorded the incident in my near miss report.

I note it because it’s a small thing and happened under genuine caution and yet could have had more serious outcomes, but I was lucky.

And luck does come into it in a big way.

I had a friend who 20 years ago was going across a slope on his two-wheeler when it slipped over. He wasn’t going fast but his head hit a stone and he was killed.

Like most of us, I’ve known others who have died on their farms.

In my 40-year farming career, I’ve had at least four close calls.

And each time it could have gone either way, but I was lucky or reacted quickly enough to save my own life.

I’ve not rolled a four-wheeler but once while cautiously creeping down a slope, the downhill front wheel slowly drove into a small depression that again was hidden by long grass.

The bike was close to rolling and I carefully put it into reverse and backed up the hill. I got off the bike and sat down for a bit as I realised how close it had been.

Not long after, I put a roll bar on the back of the bike.

We all have stories like this and most of the time luck and skill gets us out of sticky situations.

But as we have just seen, and seen in the past too many times, not always.

There are about 20 agricultural fatalities each year and around half of these are quads and tractors.

Worksafe is not our nemesis, they are working hard to try and keep us safe.

Listen to what they are saying and act on it.

Choose the right vehicle for the job and consider the weather and terrain.

If you are in a tractor working on sloping terrain, use the seat belt.

Don’t push the motorbikes to the edge of their capabilities.

Treat these useful but heavy machines with respect.

Wear helmets and get some roll protection devices installed.

Don’t drive them when fatigued and for goodness sake, don’t be in a hurry.

Make sure everyone is trained in the safe use of all machinery.

Take care, stay safe.

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