Dr Dermot J Ruane UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science - " The Development of Health and Safety for Work Placement in Agriculture - Towards ...
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" The Development of Health and Safety for
Work Placement in Agriculture – Towards
Best Practice".
Dr Dermot J Ruane
UCD School of Agriculture and
Food Science
Presentation
• Agriculture and Food Industry
• Farm Safety
• School of Agriculture and Food Science
• Health and Safety in the School
- What and how we do it!
• Professional Work Experience (PWE)
• Contracts
• Some issues in placement
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
LAND USE
Land Area of Country 6.9 m Ha.
Area Farmed 4.4 M Ha. (65%)
Grassland 3.6 M Ha. (92%)
Crops 407 K Ha. (8%)
Spring Barley 152 K Ha.
Winter Wheat 66 K Ha.
Winter Barley 39 K Ha.
Potatoes 19 K Ha.
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
Land Use Contd.
Dairy Cows 1.1 M
• 7 M Cattle Suckler Cows 1.1 M
• 7 M Sheep
• 1.7 M Pigs
• 12.7 M Poultry
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
Composition of Agri-food sector 2011
Source: CSO QNHS Quarter 4, 2011
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
The Farm Yard “A Dangerous Work Place”
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
Workplace Fatalities Ireland, 2008 – 2014 ( HSA: Updated 21st May 2014)
Industry Sector 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing 23 13 29 27 28 21 12
Mining and quarrying 1 2 0 1 1 2 0
Manufacturing 7 1 2 2 0 1 2
Electricity / gas / water / utilities 2 0 2 3 4 2 0
Construction 15 10 6 6 8 11 5
Wholesale / retail trade; repair of goods 3 2 4 2 3 3 2
Accommodation and food services activities 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
Transport, storage and communication 3 6 3 7 1 4 0
Financial insurance info & communication 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Real estate, renting, business 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Public Admin / Defence 0 2 0 1 1 0 1
Education 0 2 0 0 0 1 0
Health / social work 0 1 1 1 1 0 0
Other 3 3 1 3 1 2 0
Total 57 43 48 54 48 47 22
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
Fatal Accident Causes
Collaps e /Falling Electrocution -
Obje ct 3% Tr actor s /
- 4% Ve hicle s
Tim be r Re late d
- 30%
- 5%
Dr ow ning 11% /
Gas ing - 1%
M achine r y - 19%
Falls fr om He ights
- 12%
Live s tock - 15%
Conflicts?
•Almost 75% Classify Over 75% Classify
Farm work as Their Farm as Safe
Dangerous
50% need more information but
just 5% sought it
75% of farmers classified their farms as “tidy” ?
Trips and falls 3rd major accident area
Safety signs are effective -75%, but 6% use them
Safety Statement a legal requirement: only 55% of farms have a safety statement
Only 75% of Industry have a safety statement (HSA 2014 – private communication)
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
Health and Safety Research – important
observation
• “……., these farmers knew and understood the hazards
present on their farms and the risk associated with these
hazards.
• However, in many instances the farmers engaged in the
risk, often to save time, because they always did it, have
never got caught and often out of habit”
Finnegan, Anne: An Examination of the Status of Health and Safety on Irish Farms
PhD thesis February 2007
Dermot J Ruane, UCDUCD School of Agriculture and
Food Science
UCD Media Catalogue, IT Services
Dermot J Ruane, UCDUCD School of Agriculture and Food
Science in one slide (SAFS)
School Characteristics:
Staff : Academic : 54
Administrative : 15
Funded Staff : 51
Technical Staff 19
Total : 139
Head of School : Prof Alex Evans
Undergraduate Degree Courses: 12
Postgraduate Taught Degree Courses: 12
Average annual research funding into School (2008-09) to (2012-13) €7.8m
Dermot J Ruane, UCD10 PWE Modules : Titles and Credits for Each
Degree Course (non-GPA)
Stage 3 programme: Credits
• Human Nutrition (from Sept- July) 10 months 60
• Animal and Crop Production: (Jan-July/Aug) 30 weeks 30
• Food and Agribusiness Management (Jan-July/Aug) 30 weeks 30
• Dairy Business (July/Aug- Nov/Dec) 20 wks 20
• Animal Science all from April for max 20 weeks 10
• Forestry 10
• HLSM (Horticulture) 10
• Food Science 10
• Agri & Environmental Science 10
• Animal Science Equine 10
Dermot J Ruane, UCDDrivers for the Health and Safety course
“Dangerous” Industry for students going on PWE
Health and Safety Acts 1989, 2005.
• Demand for a H-S course by students within the School in 2004.
Duty of care to our students – Health and safety in the core for placement.
• Educative value as a tailored focussed University course for work-life (5 credits).
• Academic requirement for PWE within programmes for credit, of variable duration
(10-60 Cr).
• PWE linked to H/S – a pre-requisite course for PWE and inserted into the core.
• More urban and female students in the Ag and Food Science Programmes
Dermot J Ruane, UCDOther Developments
Policy Committee on PWE /Internships c. 2006
Workplace agreement c. 2007
Student Contract c. 2007
Internship Manager c. 2012
Dermot J Ruane, UCDHealth, Welfare and Safety Module
RDEV20140
5 credits
Module co-ordinator:
J Phelan
PWE co-ordinator:
D J RuaneHealth and Safety RDEV 20140
Stage 2 undergraduate students: 5 credits; Semester 2
BAgrSc programmes: 8
BSc degree programmes: 2
Dermot J Ruane, UCDHealth and Safety RDEV 20140
• Requirement for students going on PWE
• Academic 5 credit course – education, training
• Specialist lecture input
• Two training sessions
• Ag students – training on hazard identification
and assessment
• Safety demonstrations
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Dermot J Ruane, UCD
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Dermot J Ruane, UCDDermot J Ruane, UCD
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Dermot J Ruane, UCD
Dermot J Ruane, UCD
Professional Work Experience
UCD School of Agriculture and Food
SciencePreparation and Monitoring of PWE
• Stage 3 time table.
• Preparation for CV’s etc
• Signing ceremonies for contracts and guidance
• PWE academic co-ordinators (individually and
collectively)
• Host Contracts assessed and signed
• Host networking and visitations enabled
• c.15% of students on placement abroad
Dermot J Ruane, UCDPreparation for Placement in each programme
Academic co-ordinators’ key roles
• Monthly Reports viz diary, reports etc projects –
• Full report on each placement
• Interviews – Academic assessment
- Exit from PWE
• Some travel supports for students going abroad
Dermot J Ruane, UCDAgri - Industry Supports for going PWE
• ASA / AIB Travel Bursaries
• Gerry Bird Agri - Consultant Travel Bursaries
• FBD Trust & Agricultural Trust Travel Bursaries
• Organisations support
• Support with expenses and living while on PWE
abroad
• Erasmus support in some cases
Countries: Japan, France, USA (several states), New Zealand, UK, Costa Rica, Canada,
Germany, Iceland etc
Dermot J Ruane, UCDASA/AIB PWE Travel Bursaries 2013
Dermot J Ruane, UCDWork Placement Agreement (Host)
key oversight components
• Does the Host have a Safety Statement / Risk Assessment available
for consultation by the Student? __________
• If yes, on what date will the Safety Statement / Risk Assessment
document be provided to the Student? _____________
(Document should be provided immediately on commencement of
placement)
• Will the requisite safety, health, and welfare training be provided to
the Student? ___________
• Arrangements for Payment of Student, if any ___________
Dermot J Ruane, UCDWork Placement Agreement
Key oversight component
Insurances to be Obtained/Maintained by the Host for the
Student (Paragraph 10). Please tick as appropriate
(required):
Employer’s liability ____
Public liability with casual labour ____
Other insurance as required by Law (e.g. abroad) ___
Name of Insurance Company (not broker) or other
provider (required): __________
Dermot J Ruane, UCDAssessment in August
• Academic assessment – reports etc
• Viva and exit meeting
• Grade awarded
• Board meeting – end of August
Criteria
Academic assessment
Completion of placement period
Dermot J Ruane, UCDCertificates and Awards
• Certificates of Excellence in PWE
• Monetary Awards from External Sponsors for
PWE for 5 students
• Assessed by a Board
• Certificates and monetary awards presented at
School prize-giving each year in November.
Dermot J Ruane, UCDRisk Management in our Practice
• High risk --- hazard identification and safety
Relationships
• Contract with host
• student
• Host contract with student
• Monitoring of contracts and placements
• Judgments to be made and there may be no right
answer (University of Salford 2013, Work Based & Placement Learning
Toolkit).
Dermot J Ruane, UCDSome Unforeseen Items that have arisen
• No home farms
• Students on PWE as self employed persons ------ NO
• Farms and Businesses without Safety Statements NO
• Farms and business carrying no clear insurance covering
labour NO
• Students unhappy on placement – not performing and
overworked or receiving no remuneration - occasional but
continuing issue for some
• Earthquakes NZ
• Recruitment agencies for placements NO
• Multiple student short term placements due to seasonality
YES
• Sports commitments on PWE – a problem? YES, can be
• Daddy insisted on going on PWE with his daughter – for her safety!
What could I do?
• Granny lost the host contract – don’t give it to Granny to post
Dermot J Ruane, UCDStudent Evaluation of PWE
Focus Groups held within School, 2013, 2014
General Findings: “Don’t interfere with PWE”
e.g.
Dairy Business Experience (2014)
Comments
• Some corporate experience sought
• Would like the very best farms in NZ –
• Gave a rating or 4.92/6 for the PWE experience.
Dermot Ruane UCDIssues in placement
Issues • Compliance with Law • Health and Safety Act 2005 • Duty of Care • Successful experience for student
University of Salford Legal Liability • For any risk there is always the threat of civil (including negligence or contract) or criminal (including breaches in health and safety at work etc.
University of Salford The following undesirable outcomes could arise from Work Based & Placement Learning: • The student could be injured or suffer ill health • The actions of the student could cause injury or ill health to others, • Charges could be brought against any of the parties involved, • The outcome will be decided by a relevant court, • There are recommendations that the University should take out insurances to cover the costs of legal defense against any action and also the cost of any award for compensation made by a civil court.
Safety, Health and Welfare Act 2005 • Section 80.—(1) Where an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions has been committed by an undertaking and the doing of the acts that constituted the offence has been authorised, or consented to by, or is attributable to connivance or neglect on the part of, a person, being a director, manager or other similar officer of the undertaking, or a person who purports to act in any such capacity, that person as well as the undertaking shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished as if he or she were guilty of the first-mentioned offence.
Our Legal Advice on 2005 Act • “One cannot rule out completely the possibility of criminal liability arising ever for the University or its employers but the risks are remote”. • “Thus, the workplace host undertaking is the employer, not the University”. John J. McDonald & Co. SOLICITORS
Health and Safety - Our Duty of Care
Reminder
• A requirement that a person act toward others and the public with the
watchfulness, attention, caution and prudence that a reasonable person
in the circumstances would use. If a person's actions do not meet this
standard of care, then the acts are considered negligent, and any
damages resulting may be claimed in a lawsuit for negligence.Some Intern Concerns 1. Give us real work! 2. Do what you say, and say what you do! 3. We like feedback! 4. We want to be included too! 5. Please explain. 6. I want a mentor! 7. A minute of your time please. 8. Be prepared! 9. Um…I need a chair. 10. Show me the money (as best you can). Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania - 8
Thanks • Henna Kinsella – my administrator • Alex Evans (HoS), Moya Ryan, Mary Forrest (T/L) and all 10 academic co-ordinators • Farm organisations and our past alumnii • Host farmers, companies and organisations • Drs Peter Coulahan and Teresa Lee UCD • Prof Jim Phelan – former Dean • ASA and Industry who support PWE in the School
FIN
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