Farm Safety Awareness Week
A new awareness week focuses on risks of power take-off shafts
Power take-off shafts (PTOs), commonly used on farms, are the power source for many machines attached to and powered by tractors and rotate at high speeds. The Farm Safety Partnership, in association with local farm machinery dealers, launched a new ‘PTO Safety Week’ on Monday 22 September 2014.
Unguarded or poorly guarded PTOs can kill or seriously injure a person in less than a second. The PTO Safety Week aims to remind farmers of the risks and encourage them to check their guards and where necessary replace or repair them.
New PTO Guards
In a move designed to help farmers protect themselves, their employees and their families, more than 40 participating dealers across Northern Ireland will offer a 15 per cent discount on new PTO guards purchased from Monday 22 to Saturday 27 September 2014. Some outlets will also provide free PTO fitting and repairs; more information can be found by contacting a local dealer. A list of the dealers involved in the scheme is published on the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) website.
HSENI visits
To support the initiative, HSENI officers will also visit local farms throughout the week to ensure that famers have checked their guards and taken appropriate action.
SAFE campaign
Accidents involving equipment such as PTOs is one of four areas targeted by the Farm Safety Partnership’s new farm safety campaign, ‘Stop and Think SAFE’.
To find out more about the ‘Stop and Think SAFE’ campaign, or for advice about working safely with farm machinery, please contact the HSENI helpline on: 0800 0320 121 or visit the HSENI website.
Source: nibusinessinfo.co.uk
