FARMERS should make time for regular machinery maintenance during harvest as it could save time and trouble in the long-term, according to David Leavesley, risk management manager with South Warwickshire-based NFU Mutual.

"Regular maintenance of harvesting machinery and a well-prepared staff are the key ingredients for an accident-free harvest," he said. "Every year breakdowns and fires result from putting off cleaning and regular maintenance in the rush to get a field finished before the weather turns.

"That's why it's important to resist the urge to keep on combining when you know something's running a bit hot, or fix the grain dryer from an old ladder with a rung or two missing."

Mr Leavesley said even combines which received a thorough post-harvest clean-up and service after harvest last year should be carefully checked over again before this year's harvest. Vermin and corrosion might have taken their toll leading to possible problems on start up.

Each year, he said, NFU Mutual dealt with claims for combine fires which began after the first start-up, so he advised farmers not to leave the combine to warm up while having breakfast. Similarly, tractors and trailers should be thoroughly checked to ensure they were up to the rigours of harvesting and were roadworthy. The BAGMA scheme provided a good code of practice to use as a basis for machinery maintenance.

Most farmers kept fire extinguishers on hand to deal with combine and dryer fires, but Mr Leavesley said they were no good unless they were regularly tested and staff knew how to work them. Thorough induction training in all aspects of health and safety was vital for staff, particularly if overseas workers were employed and who might not be familiar with UK procedures. Driving licences should be checked along with work permits, where applicable.

Finally, a tour of the farm to check that long grass and overgrown hedges were not obscuring field entrances was one of the best ways of preventing accidents when leaving fields.