Look out - look up - look after yourself - #FarmSafety

[farmideas]

Having worked with a H&S hat on in a previous employment, it is something I have given much thought to over the years, most people when you mention it are of the mindset, we have always done it this way so..
Only when either they, or someone close to them has had a close call, or, god forbid an accident do they start to take it seriously.

Aside from Agriculture, we all know the building trade used to have an appalling safety record, but they got their act together, why?
I honestly think it is because mindset spreads, and on sites the camaraderie has helped, Agriculture is still so insular.

Time to change.

I put a 'Farm Safety First' sticker on any article in www.farmideas.co.uk that has a positive safety twist. In the latest issue we have one on a cleverly designed log gripper that is bolted to a link box so the logs don't need picking up. The gripper cuts out the collecting task. We also put one on the pick-up truck converted to a UTV, shortened by 2 ft, raised driving position, UTV type doorless cab... but 10x as strong as a regular side-by-side. There are a few others as well. In the last issue I called for Farm Safety to have a total re-think. We should look at other successful industries such as airlines. There's very different reporting, attitude and action taken by the industry, including the supply trade. I've done a few talks on it and would be interested in doing more.

 

[Zebbedee]

Nice to see this article in FW this week. Hats off to Will Dickinson for raising it.

Whilst I agree with the latest campaign and that farmers with low power lines should report them, it is madness that the legal minimum height is still based at a time when the largest vehicles in fields were Massey Ferguson 135s!

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https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1567857316662692

does anyone know how far away from an overhead line you should be when working with a vehicle?? Just had the electric company on the farm about overhead cables this week 33 thousand volt line

 

[Steevo]

Best to check the leaflets. 11kv here I was told 1m below and 3m across I think.

Thankfully got them removed after a 2/3yr battle.

Much of the literature is aimed at construction and suggests putting “hurdle” goal posts either side of the line (like you see for lorries on motorway roadworks). No concept that farm vehicles harvest the whole field in working mode....can’t lower under lines, or limit access to specific goalpost roadways.

 

[Steevo]

The power companies seem to like to come to farm, measure, make you aware of heights, give you a leaflet and want you to sign to say you will keep away.

They have very little interest at all in understanding farming I find. They just want to cover their back and put the responsibility on to you....

If a member of a UK power firm reads this and wants to truly listen to farmers views, please prove me wrong and engage with us on here.

 

[Zebbedee]

Thanks Steevo any more answers before I reply with there recommendations??

 

[farmideas]

does anyone know how far away from an overhead line you should be when working with a vehicle?? Just had the electric company on the farm about overhead cables this week 33 thousand volt line

Double the distance they advise.

 

[Zebbedee]

Doesn,t really seem to be much enthusiasm about this thread considering the implications? Just in case anyone is wondering we had 3 guys out for a meeting about the 33 kv line crossing our land which does concern me, they measure it at 6.2m high and there legal height is 5.8 m. Now I say my combine is 5.2 m high in working position and circa 5.5 m with auger out is that safe ? Not one of my questions could they give me an answer to, so if they don,t know how am I supposed to know????

 

[Steevo]

See what I mean....the power companies really aren’t interested. They just want to push the responsibility on to us.

Its a pretty poor attitude imo.

 

[Zebbedee]

Yes Steevo I do agree they are not interested but if they cannot give me some guidelines how are we meant to know what to do?? In fact this thread seems to be of no interest to people full stop! Tells it’s own story maybe ignorance is bliss,,,,,,,,,

 

[Steevo]

I’m curious how contractors manage. Lots of large kit that goes into customers fields that may well have only seen a 120hp tractor before.

It’s no wonder they need to do a safety campaign for HSE. But the problem is that’s cheaper than fixing the problem....and it’s easier to blame each death on the person who hit the wires not paying attention, and warn others and do a piece in the FW about it.

This is one area it seems HSE decide not to go after the “big cheese”.


Another sad point is that road heights are higher than field heights....despite the fact that all machines folds DOWN to go on the road.

 

[Steevo]

Found this when Googling...

http://www.electrocuted.com/2016/08/25/bury-power-lines-underground-to-prevent-electrocution-deaths/

Is it true many power lines in Germany and other areas on the continent are underground?

 

[Zebbedee]

Not sure about other countries tbh but we run diggers as well so I am not convinced that underground is much safer really,

 

[Grassman]

Doesn,t really seem to be much enthusiasm about this thread considering the implications? Just in case anyone is wondering we had 3 guys out for a meeting about the 33 kv line crossing our land which does concern me, they measure it at 6.2m high and there legal height is 5.8 m. Now I say my combine is 5.2 m high in working position and circa 5.5 m with auger out is that safe ? Not one of my questions could they give me an answer to, so if they don,t know how am I supposed to know????

I wonder if on a hot day it will be lower.?

 

[Zebbedee]

I wonder if on a hot day it will be lower.?

Yes it will and the cables go directly to an oil fabrication yard so if they are busy and using lots of power it will heat up the lines more and sag more.

 

[nuffield1060]

Nice to see this article in FW this week. Hats off to Will Dickinson for raising it.

Whilst I agree with the latest campaign and that farmers with low power lines should report them, it is madness that the legal minimum height is still based at a time when the largest vehicles in fields were Massey Ferguson 135s!

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Was that the whole article? Perhaps had FW actually thought about it they could have mentioned the minimum legal height for power lines as I only found it out because @Zebbedee mentioned it later on in this thread

 

[Steevo]

Was that the whole article? Perhaps had FW actually thought about it they could have mentioned the minimum legal height for power lines as I only found it out because @Zebbedee mentioned it later on in this thread

Yep, that was it! Good point well made.

Full info:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais8.pdf

 

[Zebbedee]

I am still struggling to get any information regarding how close it is safe to drive underneath lines. Waiting for sse to come and straighten up leaning poles but they cannot tell me is it safe to drive the combine under them? They are above there 5.2 meter height and that is as much as they know, even on some of that other publications they say a 3m exclusion zone on a 33kv cable other pictures show an exclusion zone but no measurements on it?? Well that is not very accurate safety advice for something that can kill you. To put it bluntly the cables are diagonally across three fields pretty much unable to avoid going under them ( to avoid going under them pretty much renders the fields useless in my eyes due to shape ditches etc) so if I am working under them how much clearance is safe 1m 3m or is it ok unless you actually touch them. I don,t know and the owners of the poles don,t know so where does that leave us.

 

[Zebbedee]

Got a phone call today from SSE today and there is a meeting set up for Monday to discuss safe working below the 33kv lines crossing our land so will report back after that. Are there any questions anyone wants me to ask while they are here? If they are sensible I will ask them

 

[Steevo]

Got a phone call today from SSE today and there is a meeting set up for Monday to discuss safe working below the 33kv lines crossing our land so will report back after that. Are there any questions anyone wants me to ask while they are here? If they are sensible I will ask them

Good luck on getting a straight answer!

My guess is they *might* suggest 1m clearance. But ideally they just want you to not go underneath them at all..but don't understand the word "can't".

I'll pick a sensible question...! When SSE's "hot" team are working with live power lines....how far away do they keep metal objects (e.g. cherry picker basket for man to stand in) from the live wires to prevent arcing.

Power lines that cross roads - how far above the highest vehicle are they set?

 

[Zebbedee]

Good luck on getting a straight answer!

My guess is they *might* suggest 1m clearance. But ideally they just want you to not go underneath them at all..but don't understand the word "can't".

I'll pick a sensible question...! When SSE's "hot" team are working with live power lines....how far away do they keep metal objects (e.g. cherry picker basket for man to stand in) from the live wires to prevent arcing.

Power lines that cross roads - how far above the highest vehicle are they set?

I would guess that the equipment they use for hot work is suitably earthed and insulated to allow the work they do, if not it is as dangerous as a digger working close ??