Content
1.1 Introduction
1.2 What is Machinery and Function
1.3 Responsibility for Machinery Safety
1.4 Human Factor in Accident and Consequences
1.5 Conclusion
Bibliography
1.1 Introduction
There are a number of appealing tasks on the farm for all categories of workers. Perhaps operating machinery and heavy equipment is one of the more common needs on the farm. One of the most common causes of injury and death on the farm is the unsafe use of equipment. These injuries can be prevented by accepting responsibility for equipment safe-use and taking necessary precautions.
1.2 What is Machinery and Machinery Function
Machinery is any device that transmits or modifies energy to perform a variety of tasks. Such devices include mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or hydrostatic devices. These machines are designed to perform specific works and are powered by drivelines, hydraulic oil pressure, electrical motors, engines, or ground wheel traction.
Machines can be fascinating as well as presenting a number of hazards to those working around them regardless of how machines are powered. In as much as you have been trained in what you're doing and you are physically strong enough to work the equipment.
1.3 Responsibility for Machinery Safety
Responsibility for machinery safety on the farm is a joint responsibility of all the stakeholders involved in farm operation. The following partners and their responsibilities are as enumerated below.
Farm Owners are responsible and should therefore accept responsibility for the safety of their workers. They must ensure that employees and family workers are trained on the proper and safe ways to do their jobs.
Employers: Full responsibility of providing safety equipment, safety charts and safe-work procedure are the sole responsibilities of the employer.
Safety Professionals: The risk of injury and illness can be reduced by taking certain preventive measures such as conducting routine hazard checks on equipment, buildings etc. - and correcting observed problems immediately. Such actions as routine hazard checks are the sole responsibility of safety professional which must be done in accordance with laid down procedures.
Machinery Operators: We all know that machines are inanimate objects in that they cannot think or reason, but can be adapted to meet the needs of people. Safe machinery operation primarily depend your interaction with the machines you operate. The responsibility for machinery safety and continual functionality rests with the operator, machinery condition, associated workers, and the environment.
Machine Motion: Based on the action or motion of machine components, there are several dangerous areas which can cause injury, dismemberment, and/or death of the operator, these parts must be well guided or shielded from direct human contact. Undue familiarity with particular machinery has made many operators to underestimate the potential hazards resident in the machine and by so doing ended up as victims of machinery accident.
In this regard, most machinery injuries were not caused as a result of machine functionality or breakdown but as a result of carelessness and lackadaisical attitude to their usage. This is a pointer that most machinery-related accidents minor or major, casual or fatal results from Human Errors.
1.4 Human Factor in Accident and Consequences
Accidents do not just happen, they are caused. Know that accident never happen until there is an error; machine error, human error or environmental uncertainties. Your responsibility therefore as an employer, operator, farm/industry worker and visitor is to eliminate or minimise these errors to the barest minimum by practicing safe work practice.
Injuries occurs when Workers are
a. Not paying close attention to work, or
b. When the Operator lost concentration or forgot something and wasn’t paying close attention,
c. When he took a risk, ignored a warning, or
d. When failed to follow safety rules.
Despite the efforts made by manufacturers to make machinery safe, yet all hazards cannot be totally removed. For instance, some dangerous machine parts cannot be completely shielded as a result of their functionality; for instance, a totally enclosed cutting blade could not cut.
1.5 Conclusion
Consequent on the inability of these hazards to be totally eliminated, you can be cut, crushed, pulled in or struck by an object thrown by these machines. You can also be injured if you fall while working on or near any of these machines. So workers must exercise caution when operating these machines.
Bibliography
Farm Safety Association fact sheet, 2002. Agricultural machinery hazards 22-340 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, Ontario (519) 823-5600.
George Maher, 1997. Tractor Safety: Stay on Top of It! AE-1121 NDSU publication HESNI (2002). TRACTOR ACTION. A Step-by-Step Safety Guide Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland 83 Ladas Drive Belfast BT6 9FR Web: www.hseni.gov.uk E-mail: hseni@detni.gov.uk
Health and Safety Executive HSE, 2006. Chainsaws at work Published by the Health and Safety Executive, 03/06
Worksafe Alberta, 2006. Managing Health and Safety in Your Workplace for small business. SMB002 March 2006