Employee killed whilst operating a silage wrapper

Background

A 47 year old woman was fatally injured while operating an in-line silage wrapper on a farm.

Safety issues

Agriculture makes up only 2% of Victoria’s workforce, but 14% of workplace deaths. About 75 per cent of these deaths involve farm machinery.

Contributing factors to serious injury or death

Farm machinery is the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries on farms.

In-line silage wrappers have many hazards and risks. This includes, but not limited to:

• Rotating and moving components that can strike and entangle employees.
• Hydraulic presses that can cause crush injuries.
• Application of plastic film which can crush or cause suffocation.

There are several contributing factors involved in unsafe operations of farm machinery leading to serious injury or death. These include, but are not limited to:

• Lack of maintenance.
• Bypassing safety mechanisms.
• Lack of training.
• Lack of prestart checks and documentation.
• Working alone.

Recommended ways to control risks

The hierarchy of control is a system for controlling risks in the working environment. It helps employers to eliminate or reduce risks at work.

Plant with moving parts, such as in-line silage wrappers must have appropriate risk controls to eliminate or reduce the risk to employees. This includes, but are not limited to:

Guarding

Ensure physical guards are installed and maintained to prevent employees from accessing the moving parts.

Interlocks

Where guards are required to be opened to provide access for setting up, troubleshooting or maintenance, interlocks or safety switches should be installed to ensure the plant is shut down prior to employees accessing the hazardous area.

Hold to run controls

To ensure a safe distance between the worker and the hazardous area, operator controls should be positioned away from moving parts and should only function while the operator holds them in the run position.

Pre-start inspections

A safe system of work must be provided to ensure the plant is in a condition to be used safely. This may include implementing a pre-start inspection based on the operator’s manual, to identify any issues that need to be fixed before operating the plant. It is recommended that pre-start records are kept.

Maintenance

Plant must be maintained to ensure safety systems including interlocks and safety switches are correctly operating. It is recommended that a record of maintenance is maintained.

Information

Employees must be provided appropriate information about the hazards and risks associated with the plant.

Instructions

Employees must be provided appropriate instructions about how to safely operate the plant.

Training

Employees must be provided appropriate training to ensure they know how to operate the plant.

Supervision

When employees are learning how to use new plant, they must to be appropriately supervised.

Reference to Operator's Manual

Always consult the manufacturer's operator manual for specific safety guidelines and operational procedures.

Suppliers of new and second-hand plant

Suppliers of plant must:

• ensure the plant is safe and without risk to health, so far as is reasonably practicable
• give adequate information to the purchaser about:
  • the purpose or purposes for which the plant is to be used
  • any conditions necessary to ensure that the plant is safe and without risks to health. This may be in the form of an operator’s manual and include demonstrations, training and videos of how to safely operate the plant.

Suppliers should ensure that risk controls are installed and correctly operating prior to selling new or second-hand plant.

Employers, employees and suppliers should review their current practices, assess risks and implement safety measures to prevent similar incidents.

For further information, refer to WorkSafe’s resources on farm machinery and equipment safety.

Legal duties 

Employers have duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. Their duties include the following:

• Providing and keeping a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
• Providing and maintaining plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health.
• Providing employees with information, instruction, training or supervision. Employers must meet a standard when fulfilling this duty. They must provide what is necessary for employees to work safely.
• Ensuring people who are not employees are not exposed to risks from the employer's conduct.

Employers must fulfil these duties so far as is reasonably practicable.

Employers and self-employed people must also:

• identify all hazards associated with the use of plant at the workplace
• control risks associated with plant according to the plant hierarchy of control
• ensure the plant is inspected to the extent necessary to ensure that risks associated with its use are monitored.