Newsroom
A farmworker was seriously injured after being crushed by a runaway tractor, an accident that could have been avoided, according to a Nicosia court that just slapped the employer with a €5,000 fine.
The case involves Andronikos Andronikos Agricultural and Livestock Enterprises Ltd., a company dealing with sheep and goat farming, which was prosecuted by the Department of Labor Inspection for failing to meet even the basic safety standards required by law. The Nicosia District Court found the company guilty of multiple violations under the occupational safety and health laws and regulations.
So what exactly went wrong?
According to the Labor Inspection Department, the company never properly assessed the risks involved in daily operations like feeding and milking animals, driving tractors, or handling work equipment. As a result, no preventive safety measures were put in place, and the consequences were dire.
The injured employee had been driving a tractor on the farm, despite not having been properly trained to do so. When he parked it near a pen and got out to help a colleague unload feed, the tractor began to roll uncontrollably. He tried to stop it, but instead, it crushed him, leaving him with serious injuries.
Investigators also found that the company failed to supervise workers effectively, allowing unsafe practices such as transporting workers in parts of the tractor not designed for people.
The court concluded that the company’s lack of risk assessment, failure to train employees in safe equipment use, and poor oversight were all contributing factors to the accident and a danger not just to this employee but to others as well.
While the €5,000 fine may not sound massive, the incident has raised fresh concerns about worker safety on farms and the importance of following health and safety laws that are too often ignored.
