Building and maintenance work: a safety-first approach

Whether you’re undertaking routine maintenance or larger projects, understanding and adhering to safety regulations can help minimise the risk of accidents. Many of the largest liability claims received by FBD come from accidents during farm building and maintenance work, which underscores the importance of carrying out these projects in a safe manner.

Hiring competent contractors

When undertaking building or maintenance projects on the farm, hiring experienced, insured contractors is recommended. Skilled professionals bring the safety knowledge, equipment, and expertise necessary to reduce the likelihood of accidents. Farmers must appoint, in writing, designated project supervisors for the design process (PSDP) and project supervisors for the construction stage (PSCS) in cases where:

• More than one contractor is involved.
• There’s a particular risk.
• The project will take longer than 30 days or require more than 500 person-days (eg. 50 persons working 10 days each).
• Particular risks that might require project supervisors include jobs that pose a higher risk, such as:
• Works that put a person at risk of falling, for example working on a fragile roof.
• Burial under an earthfall, for example, tank excavations.
• Works near high-voltage power lines, eg. building a shed on a site which has existing power lines.
• Work involving the removal of asbestos.

Leading cause of farm accidents

Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of fatalities and injuries on farms. Over the past decade, the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) reported 98 fatalities from falls at work, with 20 of those occurring on farms. The Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Regulations 2007 (Part 4, Work at Height) provides a risk-based framework for selecting equipment and safety procedures. This framework promotes a hierarchy of controls for work at height:

1. Avoid working at height whenever possible.
2. Prevent falls from height by utilising proper safety measures.
3. Reduce the consequences of a fall by employing safety equipment like harnesses or fall arrest systems.

Essential safety measures

To minimise risks associated with working at height, several safety measures must be followed:

• Proper planning and supervision
  Ensure all work at height is thoroughly planned, organised, and supervised.
• Secure work environment
  The working area should be stable and free from any hazards that could jeopardise worker safety.
• Weather considerations
  Assess weather conditions before starting any tasks. Rain, wind, or frost can heighten the risks.
• Regular equipment inspection
  Ensure all equipment used for working at height is properly maintained and inspected regularly.
• Handle fragile surfaces with caution
  Always assess and mitigate the risks associated with fragile surfaces such as skylights or weak roof panels.
• Prevent falling objects
  Install measures to prevent objects from falling and causing injury to people below.

Ensure you are insured

Before carrying out construction work, it is vital that appropriate insurance is in place. This will provide you with protection against any legal liability you may have in the event of an accident on your construction site, whether it involves direct employees, employees of contractors, delivery persons or members of the public.
When employing contractors to do a job, you should ensure they have their own insurance. However, there is no guarantee that their insurance will protect you if there is a claim arising from an accident relating to that job.

FBD understands that farm outbuildings construction is a core activity of maintaining and developing a farm. FBD Farm Multiperil clients who have chosen employer and public liability cover are covered for farm outbuilding construction work under their policy as standard. The following categories of construction works are covered if farming clients are deemed legally liable for an incident giving rise to a claim:

• Maintenance and repair of outbuildings.
• Alterations or extensions of existing outbuildings.
• New farm outbuilding construction projects.

It’s important to note that not all insurance providers or insurance policies are the same, each individual policy wording contains specific terms, conditions and exclusions; it is essential to familiarise yourself with your policy. We encourage farmers to engage fully insured competent contractors to carry out work of this nature.