By Jack Bosworth, Director, FJ Bosworth & Sons. Published 2 June 2023.

I hope everyone is well.

I mentioned a few first-time events for me in my last piece. This time around I have had another new experience, although I must admit I was not excited about this one.

The email I did not want to read

An email was sent to the business on a Friday afternoon to tell us that the HSE would be visiting the farm on the following Wednesday for a health and safety inspection.

On paper, we should not have been worried. We have:

  • A record of very few accidents.
  • Regular machinery checks.
  • Comprehensive staff training.
  • Risk assessments across the operation.
  • Safe systems of work.

That all sounds positive and thorough, and it is. The word inspection, though, still hit me the wrong way. This was not going to be something I was going to enjoy.

What actually happened

I am writing this on Wednesday afternoon, just after the inspection wrapped up.

Two HSE inspectors came on site. They were with us for just over two hours. Honestly, it was time well spent.

On arrival I welcomed them to the farm and gave them a brief on the history of the business, followed by a comprehensive update on our current operations and who does what within the team. I went on to explain that we could not do what we do without good people, and that our overwhelming priority is the safety of our staff, our visitors and our animals. I made it clear that I would welcome any feedback from them, since they see different businesses every day and we do not.

There was lots of positive and beneficial discussion, both in the office and out on the farm. They appreciated what was being done well, and they were also helpful in showing us how we could reduce risk further in specific areas.

What I took from it

All in all, it was a positive experience. It is one we should not be afraid of.

A good attitude towards health and safety, a genuine focus on welfare, and a willingness to adapt are fundamental for a working farm. The right mindset going into an inspection like this is not “how do we get through this”, it is “what can we learn from someone who sees more sites in a month than we will in a year”.

That is the same attitude we try to bring to every part of how we run this place.

Thank you, Zoe

Lastly, I would like to thank Zoe for her contribution to the business during her time with us.

Zoe will be leaving us at the end of June for an exciting new opportunity, after three years and three months of full-time employment at FJ Bosworth & Sons. She started on the feeding herd, soon moved over to the breeding herd, and has done a great job for us throughout. Many of the improvements in our breeding herd performance over the last few years carry her fingerprints on them.

Thanks for all your help, Zoe, and best of luck in the new job.

About the author

Jack Bosworth is a fourth-generation farmer and Director of FJ Bosworth & Sons, an arable and pig farming business at Spains Hall, Willingale, Essex. The farm has been in the family since 1919, and Jack farms alongside his father Stuart Bosworth, who was named Farmers Weekly Pig Farmer of the Year in 2011. The business is Red Tractor assured and runs an integrated farm-to-fork model, with home-grown cereals milled on site using solar-generated electricity.

You can follow Jack’s articles on fjbosworth.com, or get in touch via the WhatsApp link on the site.

Written by Jack Bosworth

Fourth-generation farmer at Spains Hall, Willingale. Runs the contracting team and writes most of what appears here.