The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is calling on farmers to do all they can to make sure those visiting their farms are kept safe this Open Farm Sunday.

At this time of year some farmers consider hosting open farm events, sometimes as part of Open Farm Sunday, which takes place on Saturday (June 9), to allow members of the public to visit and witness farming first hand.

Both visitors and farmers can find these open days informative, engaging and rewarding, however farmers also have a legal duty to make sure visitors are kept safe and well, the HSE said.

HSE inspector, Wayne Owen, said many of the measures farmers must put in place on Open Farm Sunday and other open farm events are easy to apply.

“Events like Open Farm Sunday provide the chance for the public to get an insight into this really important industry,” he said.

“As well as safety risks from things such as moving vehicles and animals, there are also potential health risks that the farmers will need to control.

“By following some simple steps, both farmers and the public can get as much out of these visits as possible.”

Code of practice

In a bid to assist in identifying and controlling risks to visitors, the Access to Farms industry group has produced an Industry Code of Practice (ICOP).

As well as guidance on how to control risk, the ICOP includes a checklist for farmers to use.

There is also a shorter summary guide, and a guide for schools planning to take pupils to farm events.

The HSE was consulted in the production of the ICOP, and it said it provides sensible, proportionate and balanced advice to farms on how to comply with health and safety law and keep visitors safe and well.

Key components of a well-managed open farm event include:

Making sure the event is risk assessed and well planned;
Ensuring that the farm and farm staff understand the risks on site, including zoonotic risk (i.e. risks from diseases or bugs carried by animals);
Providing visitors with enough information on the risks and the controls in place (e.g. the importance of properly washing hands after touching animals, before eating or drinking, and before leaving site);
Controlling visitor access to animals;
Supervising visitor contact with animals;
Providing separate clean areas for petting of animals;
Preventing visitors going into the pens with animals;
Providing suitable facilities for washing hands and directing visitors to use them after petting animals, before eating food, before and after using any play equipment, and before leaving site.
Hand washing gels are not an acceptable substitute for washing facilities;
If visitors are allowed to consume food or drink on site, providing separate clean eating areas, near hand washing facilities;
Good prominent signage on site giving important information to visitors (but don’t rely on signage alone to give those important messages);
Ensuring that visitors are not exposed to other risks on the farm e.g. by fencing off high risk areas or activities and keeping people away from traffic routes and moving vehicles.