Video footage taken by a neighbour captured the moment a farmer allowed one of his grandchildren to illegally ride in his tractor and ultimately led to his conviction.<\/p>\n\n
Howard Walters, 78, was given a 12 month community order after he was spotted with the child in the tractor cab as he fed cattle on his farm in South Wales.<\/p>\n
Walters had already been issued with a prohibition notice by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in November 2020 after admitting to inspectors he allowed his pre-teen grandchildren to ride in his tractor. However, just two months later, he was filmed by his neighbour flagrantly breaching the terms of that notice.<\/p>\n
A HSE inspector who investigated Mr Walters says the law is \u201cvery clear\u201d. Children under 13 are specifically prohibited from driving or riding on or in any agricultural machine, including the tractor cab.<\/p>\n
At the time of committing the offence, Walters, of Tirmynydd Farm in Birchgrove, Swansea, was already the subject of a suspended prison sentence for unrelated environmental offences. In a case that was heard on 27 August 2024 at Swansea Crown Court, he was fined \u00a3500 for breaching the terms of that sentence. As part of his community order, Walters must attend 25 days of rehabilitation.<\/p>\n
Agriculture remains one of the most dangerous industries in Britain, with on average around 29 people killed each year. Being killed by vehicles remains the most significant cause of work related fatality over the last five years.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, children are among those deaths with it often being the case that they are family members, with many killed by farm vehicles.<\/p>\n
How farmers can keep children safe:<\/strong><\/p>\n Children must not be allowed in the farm workplace (young children should enjoy outdoor space in a secure fenced area). Further detailed guidance about child safety on farms and in agriculture<\/a> is available.<\/p>\n Howard Walters, of \u00a0Tirmynydd Farm in Birchgrove, Swansea, pleaded guilty to breaching section 33(1)(g) Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was given a 12 month community order and ordered to pay \u00a33,000 in costs.<\/p>\n HSE inspector Simon Breen said: \u201cThe law around children being allowed in the cabs of any agricultural vehicle is very clear. For any child to ride on agricultural machinery like a tractor is unsafe and illegal.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact this farmer chose to ignore a prohibition notice for putting his grandchildren at risk is all the more staggering.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will take action against those who break the law.<\/p>\n \u201cThe solution is very simple \u2013 young children should never ride in agricultural vehicles.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Notes to editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Health and Safety Executive<\/a> (HSE) is Britain\u2019s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives. Video footage taken by a neighbour captured the moment a farmer allowed one of his grandchildren to illegally ride in his tractor and ultimately led to his conviction. Howard Walters, 78, was given a 12 month community order after he was spotted with the child in the tractor cab as he fed cattle on his…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1829"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1829"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1829\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAny access to the farm workplace by children under 16, for example for education, or knowledge \/ experience, must be planned and fully supervised by an adult not engaged in any work activity.
\nChildren under the age of 13 years are specifically prohibited from driving or riding on any agricultural machine. It is illegal.
\nProperly trained, instructed, and supervised older children may, in tightly controlled circumstances, be able to help with some straightforward low risk tasks.<\/p>\n
\nMore information about the legislation<\/a> referred to in this case is available.
\nFurther details on the latest HSE news releases<\/a> is available.
\nHSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.\u00a0 The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"