‘Saving lives and livelihoods’ – Welsh farmers urged to make their farms safer places to work and reduce the risks of accidents with support from Farming Connect

This month, on behalf of the Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP), Farming Connect will deliver two half-day training workshops to help farmers and foresters reduce the risks of accidents and help them make their farm or forestry businesses safer places to work for themselves, their families and their workers.

 

The events are part of an ongoing awareness campaign launched earlier this summer by the WFSP, a collaboration of all the key agricultural stakeholders in Wales, who are working together to reduce the tragically high statistics of farm fatalities and injuries in Wales year on year.

 

Delivered by Farming Connect, the next half-day training events will take place from 1pm to 4pm on:

 

Tuesday, 28 August at the RWAS Showground, Builth Wells LD2 3SY

Wednesday, 29 August at Ruthin Livestock Market LL15 1PB

 

They will each comprise a series of short, practical demonstrations or presentations covering topics including the general farm safety which will also address child safety; safe handling of livestock; working safely at heights; operating all-terrain vehicles and farm machinery including lift trucks and tractors, and the handling of dangerous chemicals.

 

Brian Rees, who chairs the WFSP and an approved Farming Connect H&S mentor, says that these are the areas of work where a particularly high incidence of accidents occur.

 

“I’m delighted that so many individuals, of all ages and representing many different sectors of the industry, have now attended the latest series of training events arranged by Farming Connect.

 

“If more farmers are taught to recognise the risks by attending one of our workshops, and then take the necessary steps to reduce them, we’ll be making a very positive start on tackling the problem.”

 

“Every fatality, every injury, every illness is one too many which can have catastrophic, life changing effects for farming families.

 

“I would urge farmers of all ages to take an afternoon off to attend one of these events, including students and young farmers just starting out in the industry.

 

“It may just prove a prove a life-saver for some as we’ll be showing you that there are many ways in which you can reduce the risks of accidents and injuries to you, your family and employees or to individuals visiting your farm such as vets, professional advisers or delivery personnel.”

 

The WFSP recently published a free farm safety ‘top tips’ booklet which you can pick up from Farming Connect if you attend one of this season’s regional agricultural shows where Farming Connect has a presence or you can download it from www.gov.wales/farmingconnect.

 

Eligible farmers can also apply for up to 22.5 hours of fully-funded, confidential on-farm guidance from a recently appointed team of approved ‘farm health and safety’ mentors who are now part of Farming Connect’s hugely successful mentoring programme.

 

“Most farmers are aware that they sometimes take short cuts and don’t always follow the correct procedures, particularly when they’re working alone or under pressure, but having an expert to informally visit your farm and point out, in complete confidence, what you steps you can take to minimise or eliminate risks could save your life or that of someone close to you,” said Mr. Rees.

 

Booking for a ‘Saving lives and livelihoods’ farm safety awareness event is essential either online at www.gov.wales/farmingconnect or by calling the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813.

 

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.

 

Background information:

The Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP) is a collaboration between all the key organisations representing agriculture and allied industries in Wales. The partner organisations are committed to working together for a safer farming industry in Wales by aspiring to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries caused to farmers, their families, farm employees and others who come into contact with farm activities.

 

Partner organisations include: Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Country Landowners Association Cymru (CLA Cymru), Farm Community Network (FCN), Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW), Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Lantra Wales, National Farmers Union Cymru (NFU Cymru), Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI Cymru), Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS), Wales Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (Wales YFC), Welsh Government and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE- advisory role).

‘Achub bywydau a bywoliaeth’ – annog ffermwyr Cymru i wneud eu ffermydd yn lleoedd mwy diogel i weithio a lleihau’r perygl o ddamweiniau gyda chefnogaeth gan Cyswllt Ffermio

 

Yn ystod y mis hwn, bydd Cyswllt Ffermio yn darparu dau weithdy hyfforddiant hanner diwrnod o hyd ar ran Partneriaeth Diogelwch Fferm Cymru (WFSP) i helpu ffermwyr a choedwigwyr leihau’r perygl o ddamweiniau a’u cynorthwyo i wneud eu busnesau fferm neu goedwigaeth yn lleoedd mwy diogel i weithio ar eu cyfer nhw, eu teuluoedd a’u gweithwyr.

 

Mae’r digwyddiadau yn rhan o ymgyrch barhaus i godi ymwybyddiaeth a lansiwyd yn gynharach yr haf hwn gan Bartneriaeth Diogelwch Fferm Cymru, cydweithrediad rhwng pob un o’r rhanddeiliaid amaethyddol allweddol yng Nghymru, sy’n gweithio gyda’i gilydd i leihau’r ystadegau torcalonnus o farwolaethau ac anafiadau ar ffermydd yng Nghymru bob blwyddyn.

 

Cynhelir y digwyddiadau hyfforddiant hanner diwrnod nesaf gan Cyswllt Ffermio rhwng 1yp a 4yp ar y dyddiadau canlynol:

 

Dydd Mawrth, 28 Awst ar Faes y Sioe Frenhinol, Llanelwedd, LD2 3SY

Dydd Mercher, 29 Awst ym Marchnad Da Byw Rhuthun, LL15 1PB

 

Bydd y ddau ddigwyddiad yn cynnwys arddangosiadau neu gyflwyniadau byr, ymarferol yn ymwneud â diogelwch cyffredinol ar y fferm a fydd hefyd yn trafod diogelwch plant; trin da byw’n ddiogel; gweithio’n ddiogel ar uchder; defnyddio cerbydau pob tirwedd a pheiriannau fferm gan gynnwys peiriannau codi a thractorau, ac ymdrin â chemegau peryglus.

 

Dywed Brian Rees, cadeirydd y bartneriaeth a mentor Iechyd a Diogelwch cymeradwy Cyswllt Ffermio, fod y rhain yn feysydd gwaith ble mae nifer fawr o ddamweiniau’n digwydd.

 

“Rydw i’n falch bod cymaint o unigolion o bob oedran sy’n cynrychioli cymaint o wahanol sectorau yn y diwydiant bellach wedi mynychu’r gyfres ddiweddaraf o ddigwyddiadau hyfforddiant a gynhaliwyd gan Cyswllt Ffermio.

 

“Os bydd mwy o ffermwyr yn cael eu dysgu i adnabod y peryglon trwy fynychu un o’r gweithdai, ac yna’n cymryd y camau angenrheidiol i’w lleihau, byddwn yn cymryd camau cadarnhaol iawn i fynd i’r afael â’r broblem.”

 

“Mae pob marwolaeth, pob anaf, a phob afiechyd yn un yn ormod, sy’n gallu cael effaith drychinebus a all newid bywydau teuluoedd ffermio.

 

“Byddem yn annog ffermwyr o bob oedran i gymryd prynhawn i ffwrdd o’r gwaith i fynychu un o’r digwyddiadau, gan gynnwys myfyrwyr a ffermwyr ifanc sy’n cychwyn ar eu gyrfa yn y diwydiant.

 

“Gallai achub bywyd rhai, a byddwn yn dangos i chi bod nifer o ffyrdd y gallech leihau’r perygl o ddamweiniau ac anafiadau i chi, eich teulu a’ch gweithwyr, neu i rai sy’n ymweld â’ch fferm, megis milfeddygon, ymgynghorwyr proffesiynol neu rai sy’n cludo deunyddiau.

 

Cyhoeddodd y bartneriaeth lyfryn diogelwch fferm yn ddiweddar sydd ar gael am ddim os byddwch hi’n mynychu un o sioeau amaethyddol rhanbarthol y tymor ble mae Cyswllt Ffermio yn bresennol, neu gallwch lawr lwytho copi ar www.llyw.cymru/cyswlltffermio.

 

Gall ffermwyr cymwys hefyd ymgeisio am hyd at 22.5 awr o gyngor cyfrinachol wedi’i ariannu’n llawn gan un o fentoriaid ‘iechyd a diogelwch fferm’ cymeradwy Cyswllt Ffermio sydd bellach yn rhan o’r rhaglen fentora lwyddiannus.

 

“Mae’r rhan fwyaf o ffermwyr yn ymwybodol eu bod yn torri corneli o dro i dro ac nad ydynt bob amser yn dilyn y gweithdrefnau cywir, yn enwedig wrth weithio ar eu pen eu hunain neu dan bwysau, ond gallai cael arbenigwr i ymweld â’ch fferm mewn sefyllfa anffurfiol a nodi, yn gwblgyfrinachol, yr hyn y gellir ei wneud i leihau neu waredu’rperyglon arbed eich bywyd chi neu rywun sy’n agos i chi,” meddai Mr Rees.

 

Mae archebu lle ar gyfer digwyddiad ymwybyddiaeth diogelwch fferm ‘Arbed bywydau a bywoliaeth’ yn hanfodol, a gallwch wneud hynny naill ai ar lein ar www.llyw.cymru/cyswlltffermio neu drwy ffonio Canolfan Wasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio ar 08456 000 813.

 

Gall ffermwyr cymwys sydd wedi cofrestru gyda Cyswllt Ffermio gwblhau modiwl e-ddysgu yn ymwneud ag Iechyd a Diogelwch, sy’n un o’r amodau os ydych chi’n dymuno ymgeisio ar gyfer cyrsiau ymdrin â pheiriannau. Am ragor o fanylion neu i lawr lwythotaflen yn ymwneud â diogelwch ar y fferm, ewch i www.llyw.cymru/cyswlltffermio.

 

Gwybodaeth gefndirol

Mae Partneriaeth Diogelwch Fferm Cymru (WFSP) yn gydweithrediad rhwng pob un o’r sefydliadau allweddol sy’n cynrychioli amaethyddiaeth a diwydiannaucysylltiedig yng Nghymru. Mae’r partneriaid wedi ymrwymo i gydweithio dros ddiwydiant ffermio mwy diogel yng Nghymru trwy leihau nifer y marwolaethau ac anafiadau ymysg ffermwyr, eu teuluoedd, gweithwyr fferm ac eraill sy’n dod i gysylltiad â gweithgareddau ffermio.

 

Mae’r sefydliadau partner yn cynnwys: Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion (APHA), Cymdeithas Amaethyddol Frenhinol Cymru (CAFC) Clybiau Ffermwyr Ifanc Cymru (CFFI Cymru) Country Landowners Association Cymru (CLA Cymru), Farm Community Network (FCN) Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru (FUW), Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), Sefydliad Diogelwch ac Iechyd Galwedigaethol (IOSH), Lantra Cymru Llywodraeth Cymru, NFU Cymru, CyfoethNaturiol Cymru, RABI Cymru a’r Awdurdod Gweithredol Iechyd a Diogelwch (HSE – rôl ymgynghorol).