Working at heights in and around the dairy.

There is the risk of a fall for people working on roofs, the mezzanine floors or platforms of dairies, or climbing equipment such as silos and milk vats.

Falls, particularly those that occur because someone has been working at a height, can result in serious injuries and even death.
Victoria's Falls from Height Regulations apply to work conducted 2m above ground.

Do any of the following examples sound like your dairy farm? They are all poor work practices that could lead to a serious fall. For instance:

• working on or near fragile surfaces, such as badly rusted corrugated iron or fibreglass roofs, with no guarding, safety mesh, catch platforms or alternative fall protection measures in place;


• climbing on rails or pipelines to service equipment;


• using the mezzanine as extra storage space without having installed adequate steps or handrails;


• working from the bucket of a front-end loader or a pallet lifted by a forklift;


• putting ladders on slippery or uneven surfaces and not securing them so that they can't move forwards, backwards or sideways;


• using ladders inappropriately, e.g. using an ordinary straight ladder as a horizontal working platform, or subjecting a ladder to loads over its load rating;


• using inappropriate equipment to reach heights, e.g. drums and boards; or


• climbing ladders on grain and milk silos without fall protection.

The best way to prevent a fall is to do the job from ground level. When assessing the hazards on your farm, consider what jobs might be done differently, so that you and your workers do not have to work off the ground. 'Click here for Ladder Safety tips.'

Installing barriers and guards on equipment can stop workers falling a distance that will cause an injury. For instance, it is becoming common for the fixed ladders on silos to be enclosed in a cage that is intended to provide a barrier to restrict the fall distance, and provide a number of contact points to help a farmer ascend or descend a silo safely. The silos are also often designed to have access restricted by a ladder guard or removing the lower section of the ladder. Ladder guards can be effective in preventing unauthorised access, including that of children, but you and your workers must refit them when a job is finished. Some modifications that could make your grain silo safer include:

• installing feed blower tubes;
• remote ground opening lids;
• grain/feed level sight glasses; and
• guards for silo ladders that prevent unauthorised access (especially children).

The first three modifications will reduce the number of times you will need to climb the silo.
If ladders have to be used to access the silo:

• the work platform at the top of the ladder should have a minimum width of 600mm and a depth of 900mm;
• the platform must have handrails, toe boards and a mid-rail at 450mm with a top rail between 900mm and 1100mm; and
• ladder cages must be fitted for heights above 6m.

Family, workers and visitors need to be told about the use and placement of fall protection devices, such as guards. This type of information can be supported by safety signs, such as 'Authorised access only' or a picture showing the presence of a fall hazard. However, these signs should never be used as the only way of informing people about the risks. Your local safety equipment supplier should be able to advise you on suitable signage.
Safety harnesses can provide some protection from falls, but only if they are used properly. Professional advice needs to be sought about the selection and use of harnesses. Only trained and competent people should use harnesses.
Also, harnesses are only as reliable as the anchor points used and few silos or buildings are designed with suitable anchor points. Without anchor points, most harnesses can't be used.
Safety harnesses rely on people getting them out, fitting them properly and using them correctly, and that all requires time. If you have not got the time, you won't use them, so consider using more effective means of fall protection. 'Milk vats and falling risk.'

Dairy equipment and buildings should be designed so that no one is encouraged to work at a height of more than 2m without adequate fall protection. The risk of falling is one of the things you should add to your list of considerations when buying a new piece of equipment, tank or building. Select and design equipment that eliminates the need to work at heights. For instance, some tanks, silos and vats are designed with inspection hatches or view points close to the ground that make it unnecessary to use a ladder.

The Falls from Heights Regulations require the risks of working above 2m to be controlled. 'Summary of Legal Requirements for working on roofs'

Victorian WorkCover Authority Farm safety

Falls Prevention Advice and Compliance with OHS Regulations 2003 in the Agriculture sector
  http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au

Falls prevention - milk vats
  http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au

Falls prevention - silos
  http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au

Falls prevention - solids separation pits, effluent ponds or lagoons
  http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au

Falls prevention - working on roofs
  http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au

Generic prevention of falls guides
Basic steps to preventing falls from height
Contractor management
Working on roofs
Ladders
Trucks
Mezzanines
Accessing shelving
  http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au