Health and Safety Service

Tailored, cost-effective health & safety advice

Farming is one of the UK’s most dangerous jobs, posing risks to the health and safety of you and your employees as well as any contractors or visitors on your land.

Having health and safety policies in place is central to reducing risks and avoiding accidents as well as demonstrating compliance.

Our specialist in-house Farm Health and Safety Advisors work with farms across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset to provide tailored, practical support on an on-going basis that helps you put a health and safety system in place and meet legal requirements. This safeguards you, your family, employees and your business, allowing you to rest assured your farm is as safe as it can be.

Our Farm Health & Safety service provides:

Full audit of your farm with detailed risk assessment and easy-to-use action plan tailored to your specific business, including annual review & updates
Regular visits from our specialist team as and when required, providing hands-on advice, assistance and the answers you need, whenever you need them
Comprehensive documentation including policies & procedures, COSHH, asbestos, competent contractors, employee safety, machinery and equipment records, inspection checklists, electrical inspections, and emergency plans
Regular updates on new or changing HSE legislation helping you to stay informed and compliant at all times
Direct support and guidance on what needs to be reported and how, including the reporting of injuries and other RIDDOR incidents to the HSE on your behalf

Farm Health & Safety Guide

Our Farm Health & Safety Guide contains practical resources to help you create and maintain an effective farm health and safety policy. You'll find risk assessment, health & safety policy examples, RIDDOR guidance and option to download our FREE guide. To explore our guide visit our Guide to Farm Health & Safety Policies page.

Helping you manage farm health and safety risks

Farming comes with many health and safety risks, from machinery and vehicles to working at height, livestock handling and the use of agricultural chemicals. We can help you identify and manage these risks with practical guidance and support, including toolbox talks for Members who take up the service.

Below is some information and guidance to help you manage major farm safety risks. You can find more practical advice and support by visiting our Support & Advice section on our website.

Machinery and vehicles – Practical guidance on using ATVs and quad bikes safely, along with advice to help protect your farm from rural crime.

Working at height – Support and advice for managing risks when working at height.

Safety at harvest time - Practical advice to help farmers prepare for harvest, reduce risks and keep everyone working safely throughout the busy season.

Slurry and confined spaces – Guidance to help you understand the dangers, and to stay safe when working around slurry systems and confined areas.

Manual handling – Tips to help reduce the risk of moving heavy items, including hay bales and livestock.

Chemicals on the farm – Advice on managing chemical risks and following safe handling practices.

Lone working and mental health – Support to help you look after yourself and others when working alone or managing the pressures of farming.

What our Members say

Cornish Mutual were great at taking the hassle out of the health and safety assessment process - the advisor visited our farm, discussed as we went around, took photos and before we knew it, everything was sorted. It didn't take much time and I feel so much better knowing that we have everything in place that we need to.

Rachel Bishop

Trevear Farm

What our Members say

The new Health & Safety Service is a great way to keep up to date and on top of everything. We already do health & safety for various assurance schemes, but with those you’re on your own; this service gives you a helping hand.

Rosie Collins

Cornish Farmer

Frequently asked questions

Am I required by law to keep any written Health and Safety documentation if I employ less than 5 people?

There is no legal requirement for a business that employs fewer than 5 people to hold written Health and Safety documentation, but there is an increasing demand from assurance schemes, retailers and supermarkets to hold documentation and adopt safe working practices, no matter how many employees you have.

What classes as an "employee"?

An “employee” does not have to be employed on a full or part-time basis. The term means an individual who enters into or works under a contract of service or apprenticeship with an employer, whether by way of manual labour, clerical work or otherwise, whether this contract is expressed or implied, oral or in writing. It is worth noting that money does not have to exchange hands - it can also be unpaid help.

How much will the Cornish Mutual Health and Safety Service cost?

While this is dependant on the size of your farm and enterprise within it, the starting point for our Farm Health & Safety Service is £650 + VAT per annum.