The most serious hazards on farms are – 

• Falls from height
• Mechanised vehicles such as tractors, diggers and harvesters
• Machinery accidents and electrocution
• Falling objects
• Falling into slurry pits or grain silos
• Animal accidents
• Lifting and moving heavy objects such as bales of hay and bags of feed
• Farmer’s lung 

Farms are potentially dangerous places to be, but that does not mean that farm workers have to suffer injuries. Farm workers should operate in a safe work environment, like all other employees. A farm must be as safe as is reasonably practicable. This is the standard that the law expects. 

In addition, there are a range of specific regulations that farm owners must observe to protect their workers. Too often the law is ignored and farm workers pay with their lives or their health.

If you are self-employed, you can still make a claim for an accident at work.  If you have been contracted in by a bigger business and that business controls your working environment and has failed to keep you safe, they may be responsible for your accident.

Farm owners are required to make sure that all equipment is properly maintained and in good working order. It must be regularly and competently inspected. The equipment must be suitable for the task in hand. Access to dangerous parts of the machine must be prevented or, if access is needed, the machine must be stopped before any part of a worker’s body reaches the danger zone. Training must be provided to use the equipment, together with adequate supervision.

The use of certain types of equipment must be accompanied by personal protective equipment designed to protect vulnerable parts of the body. This includes the head, face, neck, eyes, ears, respiratory system, skin, arms, hands and feet. This means providing workers with items such as helmets, ear defenders, goggles, masks, gloves, barrier creams, jackets and boots.

On farms, workers are at risk of falling from ladders, ramps, scaffolding, excavations, hoist areas, holes, unprotected sides and edges, roofs, wall openings and other working surfaces.

Protection is also needed to avoid workers falling on dangerous equipment, such as ploughs and bailing machines. Protection should be provided by the simple use of guard rails, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems and warning line systems. However, far too many farm workers are killed and injured because this simple equipment is not made available.

Motorised vehicles such as tractors and equipment run from a power take-off can cause injuries. Such equipment must have proper braking equipment and an audible warning system. Lights and reflectors must be fitted if the machinery is used at night. The glass in the cab must be safety glass.

It is caused by breathing in the dust from mouldy hay or crops as over time people can become allergic to this mould. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fever, coughing and chest pains.

Your employer should have put measures in place to reduce the risk of farmer’s lung such as providing proper ventilation, making sure crops are dried properly before storage and providing you with a dust mask. If your employer has failed to do this, you may be able to make a compensation claim.