I write this blog having returned from an unusual day in the field. Yes, I mean the field. Normally we Health and Safety consultants have the pleasure of walking around factories, building sites and offices, but not this time! We have recently been tasked to undertake some work for an agricultural college and having a love of the great outdoors hastily volunteered my services.

However, I have today realised that descriptions can be misleading. So apart from assessing the routine aspects of manual handling, electrical safety, working at height etc., I have had to acquaint myself with animals, which go beyond domestic pets and farm animals. The college runs a number of courses from diplomas to degrees, which involves caring for a broad range of animals. So I was not expecting to find reptiles and rodents. These of course need to be cared for and although my guide was hesitant to enter such areas the team leader assured us that it was safe and we would not be at risk (apart from the resident parrots). However, some cleaning activities involved removing such creatures from their enclosures (time to tie the trouser legs), but all was well and we need not of worried. They had the exercise under control and we were given a running commentary on what was taking place.

So having nodded, hopefully at the right time, I was happy to return to the field where I could once again breathe fresh air (or not so fresh) and focus on the more familiar hazards associated with farming, horticulture, engineering (tractor maintenance), construction (dry stone walling and woodworking) and of course the classroom environment.

Clearly, in this type of environment there are many hazards that need to be identified and managed and of course some may not be familiar to young people. At OMS we pride ourselves on being able to work with everyone within an organisation to gain an understanding of the problems faced by both the workforce and management, with a consistent aim of embedding health and safety into the heart of the organisation and not just providing ticks in boxes.

I could go on, but the evening is progressing so I need to return to the drawing board and scan the array of publications and guidance documents on “agricultural” topics (including the unusual) in readiness for my return. I do not always have the answer, but I do know where to find it!

Posted by Stuart Hack – Consultant