In an incident in Wales a person lost their life after being struck by a falling bale. Fatal and serious injuries involving bales occur all too often. Stacking bales safely is a skill that needs to be learned. Anyone involved in stacking should:
- Know how to stack or be supervised by a competent person
- Be aware of the risks and the correct precautions and procedures to follow
- Be trained how to use machinery and equipment safely
- Be fit for the job
- Wear the right PPE such as dust masks, gloves etc.
Further guidance is available on the HSE site here:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg125.pdf
The second incident (which involved cattle) occurred in Scotland in June 2016 but has only recently been referred to the HSE.
Accidents involving cattle are one of the biggest causes of on farm fatality and injury. Cattle can always be unpredictable no matter how well you may know them.
The Farm Safety Partnership recently issued a Timely Reminder on cattle handling:
Information is also available on the HSE website: