OSH investigating second hay bale accident

Monday 21 May 2001

The Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) is pleading with farmers to make health and safety a number one priority after another hay bailing accident in Canterbury today.

OSH is investigating an accident where a man was injured while travelling on a farm vehicle with hay.

Today’s accident follows another four weeks ago involving hay bales which left an 18-year-old girl seriously injured.

"There seems to be a number of farmers feeding out hay earlier in the year, due to the drought here in the Canterbury region," said Margaret Radford, Service Manager, OSH, Christchurch.

"Farmers must remember to take precautions and identify hazards in their workplaces to avoid the kind of accidents that OSH inspectors have been investigating recently.

"We are asking all those people working on farms to take their time and take extra care, especially with significant hazards such as hay bales."

"We are also reminding farmers to use their farm vehicles for the purpose for which they were designed."

The agricultural industry produces about 55 per cent of New Zealand’s exports and make up a significant proportion of the workforce.

As part of a national agricultural strategy OSH, which is a service of the Department of Labour, has been working with farmers from around the country over the last four years.

The campaign has focused on dairy, beef and sheep farming and targeted hazards such as farm vehicles, machinery, livestock handling and health issues.