Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Agriculture/horticultural – cylinder mower
The hazards are:
➤
trapping, typically hands or fi ngers, in the shear 
caused by the rotating cutters
➤
contact and entanglement with moving parts of the 
drive motor
➤
drawing in between chain and sprocket drives
➤
impact and cutting injuries from the machine start-
ing accidentally
➤
burns from hot parts of the engine
➤
fi re from the use of highly fl ammable petrol as a fuel
➤
possible noise hazard from the drive motor
➤
electrical if electrically powered, but this is unlikely
➤
possible sensitization health hazard from cutting 
grass, for example, hay fever
➤
possible health hazard from exhaust fumes.
Agriculture/horticultural – brush cutter/strimmer
The hazards are:
➤
entanglement with rotating parts of motor and shaft
➤
cutting from contact with cutting head/line
➤
electric shock, if electrically powered but this is 
unlikely
➤
burns from hot parts of the engine
➤
fi re from the use of highly fl ammable petrol as a fuel
➤
possible noise hazard from the drive motor and cut-
ting action
➤
eye and face puncture wounds from ejected particles
➤
health hazard from hand-arm vibration causing white 
fi nger and other problems
➤
back strain from carrying the machine while operating
➤
health hazards from animal faeces.
Chainsaw
The hazards are:
➤
very serious cutting by contact with the high speed 
cutting chain
➤
kick back due to being caught on the wood being 
cut or contact with the top front corner of the chain 
in motion with the saw chain being kicked upwards 
towards the face in particular
➤
pull-in when the chain is caught and the saw is 
pulled forward
➤
pushback when the chain on the top of the saw bar 
is suddenly pinched and the saw is driven straight 
back towards the operator
➤
burns from hot parts of the engine
➤
high noise levels
➤
hand arm vibration causing white fi nger and other 
problems
➤
fi re from the use of highly fl ammable petrol as a fuel
➤
eye and face puncture wounds from ejected particles
➤
back strain while supporting the weight of the chain-
saw while operating
➤
electric shock if electrically powered
➤
falls from height if using the chainsaw in trees and 
the like
➤
lone working and the risk of serious injury
➤
contact with overhead powerlines if felling trees
➤
being hit by falling branches or whole trees while 
felling
➤
possible health hazards from cutting due to wood 
dust particularly if wood has been seasoned
➤
using chainsaw in poor weather conditions with slip-
pery surfaces, poor visibility and cold conditions

---