Fatal farm accident 'preventable'

A safety warning has been issued after a company was fined following the death of a farm worker in a quad bike accident in the Scottish Borders.

Grant Shannon, 34, died on Kelloe Mains Farm near Duns on 14 June 2007.

Farm owners R&J McDonald were fined £6,650 last week after admitting charges relating to the incident.

The Health and Safety Executive said Mr Shannon's death could "easily have been prevented" and highlighted the need to properly maintain such equipment.

Mr Shannon had taken up employment as a dairy worker on the farm just three days before he died.

The accident happened when he used an all-terrain vehicle to help another employee move cattle from one field to another.

He had never driven such a vehicle before and had not received formal training on how to do so.

In addition, he was not wearing head protection and the quad bike was later found to have a number of defects - the most serious being incorrect tyre pressure.

R&J McDonald were fined in connection with the incident at Jedburgh Sheriff Court last week.

The company admitted charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act for "failure to provide and maintain plant (ATV) that was, so far as reasonably practicable, safe".

The HSE said the case highlighted a number of issues.

Seriously injured

Insp Gillian McLean said: "Mr Shannon's death could easily have been prevented."

She said that prior to using an ATV the driver should receive "adequate, formal training" and it should be checked that the vehicle was in "good mechanical condition".

She added that the user should always wear a helmet.

"Sadly, farming is a dangerous business, and the numbers of deaths and injuries to farmers, workers and members of the public is unacceptable," she said.

"In 2007-08, nine agricultural workers in Scotland lost their life at work and 2,364 were seriously injured."

Article created by Editor. (info@safetynetscotland.co.uk)