Staying safe when working alone on farm 

Working alone is not uncommon on a farm and although not against the law, it does put you and your team at higher risk of accidents with more severe consequences. Both employers and staff are responsible for safety; employers for assessing and addressing risk, staff for following the procedures put in place to keep them and their colleagues safe. 

Below we have highlighted guidance on staying safe when working alone on farm. 

Carry out risk assessments  

Employers must assess and address any health and safety hazards that could put their staff at risk. In this context, ‘staff’ includes contractors or self-employed workers hired to carry out work on the farm.  
Carry out regular and detailed risk assessments as well as on-the-spot checks to help prevent incidents before they happen. Where risks are identified, implement measures to mitigate them and communicate how work can be carried out safely.  
Employers with five or more employees must record the major findings of all risk assessments. It's also important to record near misses or accidents and to share identified hazards with the rest of the team. 
Employees have responsibilities too. They are expected to look after themselves and their colleagues, respect and abide by their employer’s health and safety policies and inform their employer of any health condition likely to increase their level of risk.

Stay in touch 

When working alone, staying in touch and letting others know where you are is vital. Always carry a fully charged mobile phone and keep it with you when leaving a vehicle. Use the what3words app to give others your exact location – this is essential in an emergency so others can find you. Having a group chat among the team to send regular messages can work well – and enough to provide peace of mind. 

If the farm has areas of poor reception, two-way radios might be a better alternative.  

Training and equipment  

Being qualified or adequately trained to carry out a task or operate machinery is particularly important when working alone. Training increases confidence to help cope in unexpected situations. Tasks should only be carried out where it is safe to do so, and appropriate PPE, including hi-vis clothing, should always be worn. 

Emergency situations and contacts  

Have in place plans for raising the alarm if staff feel threatened.
A clear escape route should be mapped out, with all staff knowing the correct path to take in an emergency.
Staff must know who to contact in emergency situations, with contact numbers saved on mobile phones and listed in all vehicles.

Safe stop

Safe stop should be carried out whenever leaving the cab of a tractor, combine or relevant farm vehicle machinery. Newer vehicles have technology causing the engine to cut out automatically when the operator stands up removing pressure from the cab seat. But if this function is disengaged or not available, follow the steps below:

Engage the handbrake
Put the controls in neutral
Turn off the engine
Remove the key

Look after yourself 

As well as posing some physical challenges, working alone can be tough mentally, feeling isolated and unsupported. This doesn’t need to be the case. Raise your concerns with your employer or colleagues, or seek professional help from organisations such as The Farming Community Network.