Rural insurer NFU mutual has issued a warning after three serious injuries resulting from falling bales were reported between February and April this year.

Speaking at the Dairy Event at the NEC in Brimingham, Clive Harris, farm safety champion for NFU Mutual, said, “Two of the three incidents have involved farmer’s family being crushed by falling bales and the other involved a farm worker whose bales toppled off his wagon onto him.”  

Mr Harris continued, “By taking the time to use the correct machinery appropriate for the job, these risks can easily be eliminated.”image expired

NFU adviser Ben Coates offered the advice, "Bales, particularly large round ones, can be extremely heavy. When moving them around, make sure you use the correct equipment, such as a bale spike. To prevent the structure collapsing, remove bales in the reverse order to which they were stacked. People should also be kept well away from the stack while the bales are being moved."

NFU Mutual, which chose to use its appearance at the Dairy Event on Tuesday (6th September) to raise awareness of the dangers posed by bales, estimated the cost of falling bales would total around £10 million in 2011.

The insurers have launched the ‘Farm Safety Crusade,’ which ties in with the Farm Safety Campaign by the NFU and Health and Safety Executive (HSE), using the slogan “Make the promise, come home safe.”

The campaigns attempt to raise awareness of farm safety, after the latest HSE statistics revealed agriculture’s health and safety record remains poor. Initiatives include offering safety qualifications, running farm safety events and arranging farm safety exhibits at agricultural events, with experts present to share knowledge.

NFU Mutual also warned that, not only are on-farm accidents life changing and often fatal, they can, in some cases, lead to farmers being prosecuted and facing hefty fines. Mr Harris cautioned, “Recently, a farmer was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay over £5,000 in costs when a stack of bales fell on his friend. This is not only a great cost but it is also a cost that isn’t covered by insurers. It can also leave farmers with a criminal record."

NFU Mutual is encouraging farmers to look at guidance on the HSE website and on its own Farm Safety Crusade site where advice on how to work safely in agriculture and, more specifically with bales, is available.