Fatal accidents prompt warning over misuse of farm machinery

Fatal accidents at two North Yorkshire farms less than three weeks apart have prompted a call to the agricultural community to use machinery only for its intended purpose.

The Health and Safety Executive and North Yorkshire Police are jointly warning farm workers not to use telehandler machinery to drive posts into the ground.

Both accidents, at farms in Skipton and Thirsk just thirty miles apart, involved such machinery in near identical circumstances, with buckets coming loose from the main telescopic arm and striking people who were holding a post in place underneath.

A 66 year-old woman died in Skipton, while a 22 year-old male lost his life in Thirsk. Both were local to their respective area.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances at each site, but officials are keen to stress that telehandlers are not designed for driving posts into the ground.

"It is impossible to ensure that the post stays straight when a telehandler is used in this way, and further fatalities are possible if people continue to enter the danger zone beneath the bucket to provide manual assistance," commented Gill Spurrier, HSE head of operations for Yorkshire and the Humber.

"If the bucket attachment is not properly engaged or becomes disengaged, the bucket can be dislodged by downward pressure on the post and may come loose completely – as happened at both Thirsk and Skipton.

"Both tragedies were easily avoidable, and we strongly encourage others not to work in this way."

Chief Inspector Nick Warnes, of North Yorkshire Police, added: "Workers have a duty to look after their own health and safety when carrying out work of this nature, and we are keen to avoid any more accidents like this."

Both the HSE and North Yorkshire Police offer their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victims.