Welsh farmers urged to adopt safe cattle handling techniques in a bid to reduce the risks to life and limb

Welsh farmers urged to adopt safe cattle handling techniques in a bid to reduce the risks to life and limb

In the last ten years, 388 farmers, their family members or farm workers have been killed on British farms, while thousands more have suffered serious injuries and work-related ill health.

“This is a horrifying statistic, because every fatality, every injury, every illness is one too many and can have catastrophic, life changing effects for farming families,” says Brian Rees, chair of the Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP), and one of the UK’s most well-respected trainers on farm safety.

The role of the WFSP, which is a collaboration between all the key agricultural stakeholder organisations in Wales, is to help raise awareness of the dangers of working on farms to reduce the risk of injuries and accidents to humans in particular, but also to stock.

The WFSP, with support from Farming Connect, recently arranged a series of daily 20 minuteworkshops, one of which was attended by Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs. The training was delivered by two approved Lantra instructors – John Hughes and his son Jimmy who farm together near Llandrindod Wells – when farmers and agriculture students from across Wales learned up to date techniques on safe cattle handling.

“I was especially pleased that so many young farmers and agricultural students attended, which proves we are getting some important messages out to the industry early on in their careers,”said the Cabinet Secretary who heard at first hand from Mr Rees and the two trainers how farmers can take steps to reduce on-farm risks and accidents.

“What they learned that day might just prove a life-saver for some of them and I am confident they will put into practice what they saw demonstrated and learned,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

Mr. Rees explained that handling cattle always involves a risk of injury from crushing, kicking, butting or goring.

“Our workshops demonstrated that there are ways in which you can reduce the risks of accidents and injuries to you, your family and employees or to individuals visiting your stock, such as vets.

“The risk is greater if the animals have not been handled frequently, such as those from hills or moorland, sucklers or newly calved cattle.But attempting to carry out stock tasks on any unrestrained cattle or with makeshift equipment is particularly hazardous, so it is critical that we do all we can to alert farmers to the dangers, and try to prevent them putting their life or health in serious jeopardy,” said Mr Rees.

In addition to emphasising the need to plan ahead when handling large animals, Mr Rees’ top tips include:

• never underestimate the risk from cattle, especially the protective instincts of a newly calved cow, even with good precautions in place

• always use proper handling facilities, kept in good working order
• use a race and a crush suitable for the animals you handle
• consider a rigorous culling policy for temperamental animals
• try to avoid working alone but if you do, keep a phone handy

“Statistics show that you are now six times more likely to be killed working on a farm than at a building site, so getting up to speed with all aspects of farm-safety is critically important for farmers of all ages.

“There is support, guidance and training available, so the Wales Farm Safety Partnership will continue to do all it can to persuade farmers to tap into this,” added Mr. Rees.

Eligible farmers registered with Farming Connect can undertake an e-learning module on farm Health & Safety, which is a pre-requisite if you want to apply for machinery handling courses. For further information and to download a leaflet on farm safety, visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnect.   Further information on all aspects of farm safety is available at www.hse/gov.uk/agriculture

Annog ffermwyr Cymru i fabwysiadu technegau trin gwartheg yn ddiogel er mwyn lleihau’r peryg o golli bywyd neu anafiadau difrifol

Yn y deng mlynedd diwethaf, mae 388 o ffermwyr, aelodau’r teulu neu weithwyr y fferm wedi cael eu lladd ar ffermydd Prydain tra bod miloedd mwy wedi dioddef anafiadau difrifol ac iechyd gwael o ganlyniad i’w gwaith.

“Mae’r ystadegau yma’n frawychus oherwydd mae pob marwolaeth, anaf a salwch yn un yn ormod ac yn gallu cael effaith trychinebus sy’n newid bywydau teuluoedd ffermio,” dywedodd Brian Rees, cadeirydd Partneriaeth Diogelwch Fferm Cymru (WFSP) a hyfforddwr uchel ei barch ym Mhrydain ar ddiogelwch fferm.

Mae WFSP yn gydweithrediad rhwng y mudiadau amaethyddol allweddol yng Nghymru ac yn ceisio codi ymwybyddiaeth o beryglon gweithio ar fferm er mwyn lleihau’r perygl o anafiadau a damweiniau i bobl yn benodol ond ar gyfer yr anifeiliaid hefyd.

Yn ddiweddar, mae WFSP wedi trefnu cyfres o weithdai 20 munud gyda chefnogaeth Cyswllt Ffermio gyda Lesley Griffiths, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Ynni, Cynllunio a Materion Gwledig, yn mynychu un o’r gweithdai hefyd. Cafodd yr hyfforddiant ei gyflwyno gan ddau hyfforddwr Lantra – John Hughes a’i fab Jimmy sy’n ffermio gyda’i gilydd ger Llandrindod. Yn yr hyfforddiant, dysgodd ffermwyr a myfyrwyr amaeth ledled Cymru’r technegau cyfredol ar gyfer trin gwartheg yn ddiogel.

“Roeddwn i’n arbennig o falch bod gymaint o ffermwyr ifanc a myfyrwyr amaeth wedi mynychu sy’n profi ein bod ni’n darparu negeseuon pwysig iawn i’r diwydiant ar ddechrau eu gyrfaoedd,” dywedodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet a glywodd pa gamau y gallai ffermwyr eu cymryd er mwyn lleihau’r peryglon a’r damweiniau ar y fferm yn uniongyrchol oddi wrth Mr Rees a’r ddau hyfforddwr.

“Gallai’r hyn ddysgon nhw achub bywydau rhai ohonyn nhw ac rwy’n hyderus y byddan nhw’n rhoi’r technegau a gafodd eu dangos a’u dysgu ar waith,” dywedodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet.

Eglurodd Mr Rees bod yna bob amser perygl o anafu wrth drin gwartheg trwy wasgu, cicio, ergydio a chornio.

“Dangosodd ein gweithdai fod yna ffyrdd o leihau’r perygl o ddamweiniau ac anafiadau i chi, eich teulu a’ch gweithwyr neu i unigolion sy’n ymweld â’ch stoc, fel milfeddygon.

“Mae’r perygl yn cynyddu os nad yw’r anifeiliaid wedi cael eu trin yn aml fel yr anifeiliaid ar fynyddoedd neu rostiroedd, gwartheg sugno, neu wartheg sydd newydd loia. Ond mae ceisio gwneud gwaith stoc gyda gwartheg sydd heb eu ffrwyno neu gydag offer dros dro yn arbennig o beryglus. Felly, mae’n hanfodol ein bod ni’n gwneud cymaint fedrwn ni er mwyn deffro ffermwyr i’r peryglon a cheisio eu rhwystro rhag peryglu eu bywydau neu eu hiechyd,” dywedodd Mr Rees.

Yn ogystal â phwysleisio’r angen am gynllunio o flaen llaw wrth drin anifeiliaid, mae cyngor Mr Rees yn cynnwys y canlynol:

• Peidiwch byth â diystyru’r perygl wrth wartheg, yn enwedig greddf buwch sydd newydd ddod â llo, hyd yn oed gyda rhagofal diogelwch yn eu lle

• Defnyddiwch gyfleusterau trin anifeiliaid sydd mewn cyflwr da bob tro
• Defnyddiwch redfa a chraets sy’n addas ar gyfer yr anifeiliaid rydych chi’n eu trin
• Ystyriwch bolisi difa llym ar gyfer anifeiliaid anwadal
• Ceisiwch osgoi gweithio ar eich pen eich hun, ond os fyddwch chi’n gwneud hynny, cadwch eich ffôn wrth law

“Mae ystadegau’n dangos eich bod chi chwe gwaith yn fwy tebygol o gael eich lladd yn gweithio ar fferm nag ar safle adeiladu, felly, mae sicrhau eich bod yn ymwybodol o holl agweddau diogelwch fferm yn hanfodol bwysig i ffermwyr o bob oedran.

“Mae cefnogaeth, arweiniad a hyfforddiant ar gael, felly, bydd Partneriaeth Diogelwch Fferm Cymru yn parhau i wneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i ddarbwyllo ffermwyr i wneud y mwyaf ohono,” ychwanegodd Mr Rees.

Mae ffermwyr sy’n gymwys ac wedi cofrestru gyda Cyswllt Ffermio yn medru cwblhau modiwl e-ddysgu ar Iechyd a Diogelwch y fferm, sydd yn rhagofyniad os ydych am wneud cais am hyfforddiant defnyddio offer. Ewch i www.llyw.cymru/cyswlltffermioam fwy o wybodaeth ac i lawr lwytho taflen ar ddiogelwch y fferm. Mae mwy o wybodaeth ar bob agwedd o ddiogelwch y fferm ar gael yn www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture