Extreme weather events are forcing the UK’s farmers into new working patterns. With machine availability at a premium, unfamiliar equipment, and limited headroom for fines, it’s important not to lose sight of LOLER and PUWER compliance amid the change. 

“Weather whiplash” is changing the farming calendar 

It’s a cruel irony that even while many UK farms are struggling with flooding, it’s only lately that all England’s regions have officially recovered from last year’s drought. But increasingly, this is the reality farmers face: squeezing crucial jobs between extreme weather events.  

As the climate continues to change, “Weather whiplash” — swinging rapidly between times of flooding and drought — is predicted to become increasingly common. This presents farms with new challenges, and those of us supporting their safety and compliance will need to adapt. 

According to the NFU, 78% of farms have already experienced an increase in extreme weather. On average, those events cost £40,000. It’s no wonder that half of farms are changing their practices to cope. 

Machinery ready to go — and ready to cope 

One of the main differences reported in the NFU’s 10-year weather survey is a change in the length and timing of the growing season. The figures show how unpredictable this is becoming: 33% say it’s longer, while for 24% it’s decreased.

Partly, this suggests regional differences are getting more pronounced. Local knowledge is more important than ever; engineering firms supporting farmers will need to listen even more closely to their own customers’ needs.

“We have lost the normal seasons.”  – NFU 10-year weather survey respondent 

It also shows how much more difficult it is becoming for farms to plan their year in advance. As farmers report the loss of the traditional seasons, work gets unpredictable — with short-notice pressure to get essential tasks done fast, as the weather dictates.  

That puts significant demands on machinery. Even by the standards of a sector that was already fairly reactive to the weather, there’s a huge need to be sure the right machines are available, ready, and safe to use when the moment comes.  

Having a Thorough Examination already in place will be vital to give farms that flexibility — covering both LOLER and PUWER. This way, there’s no pressure to use equipment that might not be safe, and risk a fine or worse. 

Faster work in tougher conditions 

These checks will be all the more important when equipment is pushed to the limit. Having a shorter window to get the work done may mean machines need to work faster, or for longer hours, than usual.

Likewise, the operating conditions could be especially challenging. With first cut silage season approaching, unprecedented rainfall through winter and spring could replicate the difficulties of 2024, when agricultural machinery and transport were involved in 11 farm worker fatalities. 

Importantly, the components that come under pressure at such times — brakes, tyres, steering, and trailer couplings — are not usually covered by a standard LOLER-only inspection. It’s therefore critical to ensure the Thorough Examination covers the entire vehicle, satisfying both LOLER 98 and PUWER 98. 

New approaches need new equipment 

Alongside new work patterns, the machinery itself is changing.  

Some farmers told the NFU survey they’d specifically bought different equipment to cope with soft ground. For example, The Farmer’s Guardian reports a resurgence in popularity for toolbar-mounted seed drills, at the expense of trailer drills, as wet conditions have made establishing crops more difficult. 

Other farms are diversifying, whether into new crop types — like nut trees — or taking control of more of the packaging and distribution of their produce. This, again, may mean new kinds of attachment or indeed whole new machine types, which may be less familiar. 

As the technicians helping farms to use this equipment safely, it’s part of our role to walk the farmers through the regulatory and inspection framework for these new machines. The CFTS App will be especially useful, putting checklists and workflows for a wide array of equipment into an easy, portable format ideal for farm site visits. 

Paying particular attention to new or adapted attachments will also be vital, since this is already an area where agricultural businesses tend to struggle. 

Think compliance is expensive? Try non-compliance… 

Naturally, this can feel like a difficult argument to make when the climate is just one of the pressures on farms’ finances. One in eight farms affected by extreme weather reported losses of £100,000 or more, while red diesel prices are soaring and good yields are increasingly hard to come by. 

However, when margins are wafer thin at best, it also means farms are unlikely to have the headroom to cope with a sudden fines. Health and Safety Executive fines commonly run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds and can be based on a company’s turnover.  

With the HSE’s 94% conviction rate, one accident could end the business. Using a non-compliant machine is simply not worth the risk.  

More to the point, safe equipment protects agricultural workers — who are often friends and family — from tragic, life-changing, or fatal consequences. By comparison, checking the whole machine properly is a small price to pay.

With hundreds of CFTS-accredited agricultural specialists, it’s easy to find a local expert and get ready for whatever the great British weather does next.