A farm partnership has recently been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and fined £80,000 following an accident at a dairy farm that resulted in the death of a farmhand.
Information
A 23-year-old farmhand suffered fatal head injuries as he helped to inflate a tractor tyre at the farm in May 2021.
At the time of the incident, the farmhand had been helping one of the business partners, to re-seat and inflate a large tractor tyre. As business partner inflated the inner tube within the tyre, it suddenly exploded and the catastrophic release of compressed air propelled the wheel rim into the farmhand, causing him traumatic head injuries. He was taken to hospital and underwent skull and brain surgeries, but he sadly passed away over a month later after a further deterioration in his condition.
HSE Accident Investigation
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the business had failed to properly assess and plan this work activity. They had failed to identify and put in place the measures necessary to control the risks involved when inflating large commercial tyres.
During the investigation, it was found that the risk of an explosion was much higher because the tyre, wheel rim and inner tube were all in a poorly maintained condition.
Moreover, the business partners had failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment that should have determined whether the damaged tyre, inner tube and wheel rim were suitable to be inflated safely.
Conclusion
The business partners were fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £8,605 costs after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Sect 2 (1): General duties of employers to their employees.
- It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare at work of all his employees.
Comment
An employer must ensure their workplace is safe and that all activities are:
- suitably and sufficiently risk assessed; and
- carried out be competent personnel.
The incident could have been prevented if a suitable and sufficient risk assessment had been carried out; with reasonably practicable control measures implemented.
This serious case highlights the dangers arising from tyre removal, replacement and inflation.
Safety, during tyre inflation, should be suitable and sufficiently risk assessed, robust control measures implemented, and these must be enforced in all locations tyre inflation occurs: motor vehicle repair, construction sites, tyre shops, farms etc.
Other safety hazards are connected to tyre removal, replacement and inflation, such as manual handling, tool-related injuries and compressed air.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has guidance available on how to safely undertake these dangerous tasks. https://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/tyreremoval.htm
Are you confident that your business activities are carried out safely?
If you are not sure: perhaps you should consider a site inspection to review your current site activities, practices and whether your Health and Safety measures are suitable and sufficient.
Sentient can assist with carrying out a site inspection and provide guidance, where appropriate, on how measures could be improved. Either talk to our team, or learn more about our health & safety services.
