Powys farmer Corrine Mathias was lucky to survive a farm accident last year – now she’s lending her support to a new farm safety campaign

Experienced Powys farmer Corrine Mathias took almost six months to get back to full health after a terrifying accident on her family farm just over fifteen months ago. Corrine, who works locally as a part time nurse, was barged, butted and trampled by cow which had recently calved.

 

“There are so many things I should have done differently that day now I look back.”

“I completely underestimated the risk from unrestrained cattle, especially the overly protective instincts of newly calved cows.”

 

Keen to highlight the importance of reducing the risk of farm accidents, Corrine is now lending her support to a campaign launched last month by the Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP), a collaboration of all the key agricultural stakeholders in Wales.

 

Supported by Farming Connect, the campaign includes two training events later this month (RWAS Showground Builth Wells – 28 August and Ruthin Livestock Market – 29 August); a free or downloadable farm safety ‘top tips’ booklet and up to 22.5 hours of fully-funded, confidential on-farm guidance from approved ‘farm health and safety’ mentors.

 

Corrine’s accident happened at the family’s third generation Bryn Farm in Howey, a 300 acre beef and sheep holding. She says the day will be imprinted on her brain forever not just because some of her physical scars will never completely disappear but because the memory of what happened is still so vivid.

 

Her husband and son had gone to a local football match so she decided to walk the family’s two dogs. As she walked past the cattle shed, she spotted one cow that was obviously in the early stages of labour. She rang her husband who said the game had been cancelled and they were on their way home to help.

 

“I decided to keep a look out from the shed entrance and could see she delivered the calf fairly easily, but despite her best efforts, there was no sign of it breathing so I went closer to investigate,”

 

Well aware that even the calmest of animals can get spooked when they’ve delivered offspring, Corrine kept a close eye on the calf’s mother, which was still lying down. As it didn’t seem at all anxious or put out by her presence, she started clearing the calf’s airways. But just as it started to breathe, she was knocked to the floor by a different cow which had calved about a week earlier, taking her by complete surprise as it came up quietly but angrily behind her.

 

“It barged me to the floor and then kept on butting me in the face with its head.  I was so shocked and frightened that I can’t really remember much after that, so the medics think it’s possible that I also banged my head on the concrete wall as I fell.”

 

Corrine struggled to get up – it later transpired it had trampled her leg too – but the cow kept on knocking her down again into a corner. After what seemed an eternity but was probably only a few minutes, it got distracted and turned away for a few seconds, giving her just enough time to stumble to her feet and reach safety behind the barrier.

 

“I collapsed on a grassy bank in a muddy heap with blood dripping from my nose. I think I was still in shock because I couldn’t work out what was hurting. I still had my mobile in my pocket, so I managed to call Robert again to say a cow had got me down and asking how soon he could reach me.”

 

Despite being in a lot of pain, Corrine made her way to the house where she soon realised her nose was still bleeding, one side of her very grazed face was swelling up badly and her leg was throbbing and painful. When the boys arrived soon after, they immediately took her to the minor injuries unit in Llandrindod hospital, from where after checks, she was referred straight to Hereford hospital.

 

After further examinations and x-rays, the medical team in Hereford diagnosed that in addition to bruising and compression, the most serious injuries were a broken eye socket and cheekbone as well as the badly trampled leg which was very swollen and developing a large blister.

 

Corrine was off work for six weeks, and only able to go back to work on a phased return. Although she was advised that her eye had dropped very slightly, she opted against an operation to insert a small plate, as it wasn’t causing her any problems with her vision.

 

“It was a long haul to recover, which impacted on Robert and Geraint too.

 

“In the early days, I kept having flashbacks and my whole body came out in bruising, making it very painful and uncomfortable to move around or sleep.”

 

Corrine registered with a local leg clinic which she says speeded up her recovery process but there will always be evidence of the trauma to her leg and she still sometimes experiences numbness to the side of her face.

 

She does still help out with the farming, although son Geraint is now more involved and student daughter Rebecca helps out when she’s home.

 

“Seeing the next generation getting involved is one of the reasons I’m so keen to promote the importance of farm safety which is the only way to reduce the risk of farm accidents. There’s so much we must all do to make our farms safer places to work.”

 

Brian Rees, who chairs the WFSP, says that by adhering to H&S guidance, many farm accidents could be avoided or the risks significantly reduced.

“Most farmers know exactly what safety procedures they should have in place, but pressure of work and demands on their time means too many of them take short-cuts which increase the risk of accidents.

 

“Statistics show that many accidents involve working with unrestrained animals.  Some of these are minor but some are life-changing or even fatal.

 

“It’s essential to have good handling facilities and a proper race and crush suitable for the type of cattle that you have.  In this particular case, individual calving pens would have helped,” said Mr. Rees.

 

TOP TIPS WHEN HANDLING LARGE ANIMALS

 

The following advice on safe cattle handling has been taken from the WFSP’s new booklet.

 

• All those handling livestock must be trained and competent
• Always use proper handling facilities, kept in good working order
• Always use a properly designed race and crush suitable for the animals you work with and the tasks you are completing
• Ensure a rigorous culling policy for temperamental animals
• Never underestimate the instincts of a recently calved cow
• Try to avoid working alone with large animals

To book your place at one of this month’s training events; to download the booklet or to apply for fully funded farm health and safety guidance available through the Farming Connect mentoring programme, visit  www.gov.wales/farmingconnect or call the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813.

Roedd y ffermwr o Bowys, Corinne Mathias, yn lwcus i oroesidamwain ar y fferm y llynedd – nawr mae hi’n cynnig ei chefnogaeth i ymgyrch diogelwch fferm Cyswllt Ffermio

 

Cymerodd Corinne Matthews, ffermwr o Bowys, bron i chwe mis i wella’nllwyr yn dilyn damwainarswydus ar fferm y teulu ychydig dros bymtheg mis yn ôl.   Cafodd Corinne, sy’n gweithio’n lleol fel nyrs rhan amser, ei hyrddio, ei sathru, a’i tharo gan ben buwch oedd wedi bwrw llo yn ddiweddar.

 

“Mae cymaint o bethau y dylwn i fod wedi’u gwneud yn wahanol y diwrnod hwnnw o edrych yn ôl,” meddai Corinne.

 

“Ni wnes i sylweddoli faint o risg sydd ynghlwm â gwartheg penrhydd, yn enwedig greddfaugor-amddiffynnol gwartheg sydd newydd fwrw llo.”

 

Mae Corinne yn awyddus i amlygu pwysigrwydd lleihau’r perygl o ddamweiniau fferm, ac mae hi bellach yn cynnig ei chefnogaeth i ymgyrch a lansiwyd y mis diwethaf gan Bartneriaeth Diogelwch Fferm Cymru (WFSP), cydweithrediad o’r holl brifranddeiliaid amaethyddol yng Nghymru.

 

Gyda chefnogaeth gan Cyswllt Ffermio, mae’r ymgyrch yn cynnwys dau ddigwyddiad hyfforddi yn ddiweddarach y mis hwn (Maes Sioe Frenhinol Cymru Llanelwedd – 28 Awst a Marchnad Da Byw Rhuthun – 29 Awst); llyfryn ‘awgrymiadau’ diogelwch fferm rhad ac am ddim neu y gellir ei lawrlwytho a hyd at 22.5 awr o arweiniad cyfrinachol ar y fferm, wedi’i ariannu’n llawn gan fentoriaid ‘iechyd a diogelwch fferm’.

 

Digwyddodddamwain Corinne ar fferm trydedd genhedlaeth y teulu, sef Fferm Bryn yn Howey, fferm bîff a defaid 300 erw. Mae hi’n dweud y bydd y diwrnod yn aros yn ei chof am byth nid yn unig oherwydd na fydd rhai o’i chreithiaucorfforol yn diflannu’nllwyr ond oherwydd bod ei chof am yr hyn a ddigwyddodd yr un morfyw.

 

Roedd ei gŵr a’i mab wedi mynd i gêmbêl-droed leol felly penderfynodd gerdded dau gi’r teulu.  Wrth iddi gerddedheibio’rsied wartheg, gwelodd un fuwch oedd yn amlwg yng nghamau cynnar genedigaeth.   Ffoniodd ei gŵr a ddywedodd fod y gêm wedi’i chanslo a’u bod nhw ar eu ffordd gartref i helpu.

 

“Penderfynais gadw golwg o fynedfa’rsied ac roeddwn yn gallu gweld ei bod wedi geni’rllo’neithafhawdd, ond er gwaethaf ei hymdrechion nid oedd unrhyw arwydd o anadlu felly fe es yn nes i ymchwilio.”

 

Yn ymwybodol iawn y gallai’r anifeiliaid mwyaf digyffroddychryn pan fyddant newydd roi genedigaeth, cadwodd Corinne lygadbarcud ar fam y llo, oedd yn dal i orwedd i lawr. Gan nad oedd hi’n ymddangos yn bryderusnac wedi dychryn gan ei phresenoldeb, penderfynodd ddechrauclirio llwybr aer y llo. Ond wrth iddo ddechrauanadlu, cafodd ei tharo i’r llawr gan fuwch wahanol oedd wedi bwrw llo tuag wythnos yn gynharach, gan ei dychryn gan iddi ddod y tu ôl iddi’ndawel ond yn ddig.

 

“Fe wnaeth fy nharo i’r llawr a pharhaodd i fy nharo yn fy wyneb gyda’i phen.  Roeddwn i mewn cymaint o sioc ac ofn fel naallaf gofio llawer wedi hynny, felly mae’r meddygon yn meddwl efallai ei bod hi’n bosibl fy mod wedi taro fy mhen ar y walconcrid wrth i mi ddisgyn.”

 

Brwydrodd Corrine i godi ar ei thraed – daeth i’r amlwg yn ddiweddarach bod y fuwch wedi sathru ei choes hefyd – ond parhaodd yr anifailblin i’w tharo i lawr eto i gornel.  Ar ôl beth oedd yn teimlo fel oes ond oedd yn ychydigfunudau’n unig, tynnwydsylw’r fuwch ac fe drodd i ffwrdd am ychydig o eiliadau, gan roi digon o amser iddi godi a hercian i ddiogelwch y tu ôl i’r bar.

 

“Disgynnais ar fancgwelltog mewn tomenfwdlyd gyda gwaed yn diferu o fy nhrwyn.  Rwy’n credu fy mod i’n dal mewn sioc oherwydd nid oeddwn i’n gallu gweithio allan beth oedd yn brifo, roedd fy ffônsymudol yn fy mhoced o hyd, felly llwyddais i ffonio Robert eto i ddweud bod buwch wedi fy nharo i lawr a gofyn pa mor gyflym y gallai fy nghyrraedd.”

 

Er gwaethaf bod mewn llawer o boen, llwyddodd Corinne fynd i’r tŷ lle sylweddolodd bod ei thrwyn yn dal i waedu, roedd un ochr i’w wyneb oedd wedi’i grafu’n ofnadwy yn chwyddo’n ddrwg ac roedd ei choes yn ofnadwy o boenus.  Pan gyrhaeddodd y bechgyn yn fuan wedyn, fe aethon nhw â hi i’r uned mânlawdriniaethau yn ysbyty Llandrindod, lle cafodd ei chyfeirio ar unwaith, ar ôl archwiliadau, i YsbytyHenffordd.

 

Ar ôl archwiliadau pellach a phelydr-x, fe wnaeth y tîm meddygol yn Henffordd roi diagnosis iddi yn ogystal â’r cleisio a’r cywasgu, yr anafiadau mwyaf difrifol oedd torri asgwrn yn nhwll y llygad ac asgwrn y boch yn ogystal â choes oedd wedi’i sathru’n ddrwg ac a oedd wedi chwyddo’n fawr ac yn datblygu pothell fawr.

 

Roedd Corinne i ffwrdd o’r gwaith am chwewythnos, a llwyddodd i ddychwelyd yn raddol i’w gwaith. Er y dywedwydwrthi fod ei llygad wedi syrthioychydig, penderfynodd beidio cael llawdriniaeth i osod plât, gan nad oedd yn achosi unrhyw broblemau gweld iddi.

 

“Roedd hi’n daith hir iawn i wella, a wnaeth effeithio ar Robert a Geraint hefyd.

“Ar y dechrau, roeddwn i’n cael ôl-fflachiadau, ac fe wnaeth fy nghorff cyfan gleisio, gan ei gwneud hi’n boenus ac yn anghyfforddus iawn i symud neu i gysgu.”

 

Cofrestrodd Corinne gyda chlinigcoes lleol, a bu i hyn gyflymu’r broses wella, ond bydd ôl bob amser o’r trawma i’w choes ac mae’n profi pinnau bach weithiau i ochr ei wyneb.

 

Mae hi’n dal i helpu gyda’r ffermio, er bod ei mab Geraint yn gwneud mwy bellach a’i merch Rebecca, sy’n fyfyrwraig, yn helpu pan fydd hi gartref.

 

“Mae gweld y genhedlaeth nesaf yn ymwneud â ffermio’n un o’r rhesymau pam fy mod mor awyddus i hyrwyddopwysigrwydd diogelwch ar y fferm, gan mai dyma’r unig ffordd i leihau’r perygl o ddamweiniau fferm.   Mae cymaint y mae’n rhaid i ni i gyd ei wneud i wneud ein ffermydd yn lleoedd mwy diogel i weithio.”

 

Dywedcadeirydd yr WFSP, Brian Rees, y gellid osgoi nifer o ddamweiniau fferm neu leihau’r risgiau’n sylweddol drwy gadw at ganllawiau iechyd a diogelwch.

 

“Mae’r rhan fwyaf o ffermwyr yn gwybod yn union pa weithdrefnau diogelwch y dylent eu cael ar waith, ond mae pwysau gwaith a’r galw ar eu hamser yn golygu bod gormod ohonynt yn cymryd y llwybraubyr sy’n cynyddu’r risg o ddamweiniau.

“Mae ystadegau yn dangos bod llawer o ddamweiniau yn cynnwys gweithio gydag anifeiliaid.  Mae rhai o’r rhain yn fân ddamweiniau ond mae rhai yn newid bywyd neu hyd yn oed yn angheuol.

 

“Mae’n hanfodol cael cyfleusterau trin da a llwybr a chraetspriodol sy’n addas i’r math o wartheg sydd gennych chi.  Yn yr achos penodol hwn, byddai llociau geni unigol wedi helpu,” meddai Mr. Rees.

PRIF AWGRYMIADAU WRTH DRIN ANIFEILIAID MAWR

Daw’r cyngor canlynol ar drin gwartheg yn ddiogel o lyfryn newydd WFSP.

• Rhaid i’r holl bobl sy’n trin da byw gael eu hyfforddi a bod yn gymwys
• Dylid bob amser ddefnyddio cyfleusterau trin priodol, sy’n cael eu cadw mewn cyflwr da
• Dylid defnyddio llwybr a chraets wedi’u dylunio’n briodol sy’n addas ar gyfer yr anifeiliaid rydych chi’n gweithio gyda nhw a’r tasgau rydych chi’n eu cyflawni
• Dylid sicrhau bod polisi difa trylwyr ar gyfer anifeiliaid anwadal
• Ni ddylid anghofio greddfau buwch sydd wedi bwrw llo’n ddiweddar
• Ceisiwch osgoi gweithio ar eich pen eich hun gydag anifeiliaid mawr

I gadw eich lle ar un o ddigwyddiadau hyfforddi’r mis hwn; i lawrlwytho’r llyfryn neu i wneud cais am arweiniad iechyd a diogelwch wedi’i ariannu’n llawn sydd ar gael drwy raglen fentora Cyswllt Ffermio, ewch i www.llyw.cymru/cyswlltffermio neu ffoniwch Ganolfan Wasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio ar 08456 000 813.