AgriTech robotics - complying with the Code of Practice
Introduced in 2023 for UK agriculture and horticulture, the Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Autonomous Mobile Machinery – BS 8646:2023 has numerous implications for businesses adopting this technology but manufactures and distributors are also obliged to adhere to the guidelines.
Compliance with new industry regulation is essential for any business but the introduction of the new Code of Practice (CoP) created for robotics used in UK crop management affects every employer and their staff who are either already working with these machines, or who are thinking about adopting them. This is as true for manufacturers who might be trialling prototypes out in the field as it is for the staff commissioning them on site. It is also applies to those employees operating them or simply working alongside them.
The Code is clear – anyone working with or near agri-robotics or autonomous mobile machinery (AMM) as they are referred to, is obliged to provide a safe working environment for employees, protect any visitors and members of the public and ensure the business meets every legal requirement placed on them as an employer.
What is a Code of Practice?
When an industry publishes a Code of Practice, it is important to understand how this affects the sector and what obligations it places upon the employer.
In the UK, a Code of Practice is not legally binding like an act of Parliament, but it plays a crucial role in shaping behaviour, standards, and professional conduct. Even though it is not an actual law, there are important reasons why it is advisable to follow CoP guidance.
Legal Implications
Although a Code of Practice is not itself law, it often works alongside legislation. They are created to provide practical guidance on complying with laws, like health and safety regulations or employment practices. Failing to follow the guidance could result in legal liability or penalties, especially as they demonstrate the accepted standards of behaviour in the workplace for the specific sector.
The UK Courts
In some cases, courts may refer to a Code of Practice when determining if a person or organisation has met legal obligations. Following a CoP may show that reasonable steps were taken to comply with the law, while disregarding it may suggest negligence.
Industry Standards and Best Practice
Codes of Practice often reflect best practices or industry standards within a sector. Adhering to these codes helps ensure that individuals or businesses operate at an expected level of competence and professionalism.
Reputation and Professionalism
Failing to comply with a Code of Practice can harm an individual’s or organisation’s reputation. If adhered to, this CoP will help maintain public trust and confidence and increase credibility within the industry.
Insurance and Liability
Many insurance providers expect businesses or professionals to adhere to relevant Codes of Practice as part of their risk management process. If an individual or company fails to follow a code, it may affect insurance claims or result in increased premiums.
Your professional indemnity insurance or public liability insurance might require compliance with industry standards set out in the Code of Practice to remain valid.
Regulatory Compliance
Regulatory bodies may use Codes of Practice to assess compliance with laws. While these codes are not legally binding, they are often part of a regulatory framework that businesses are expected to follow. For instance, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uses Codes of Practice to guide employers in meeting their obligations under health and safety laws.
Minimising Risk
Adhering to a Code of Practice helps minimise operational, legal, and reputational risks. It provides a framework for decision-making and helps professionals and businesses avoid unethical or illegal practices, reducing the chances of disputes or regulatory investigations.
While a Code of Practice is not law, it is vital in helping organisations align with legal standards, maintain professional conduct, reduce risk, and uphold their reputation and industry standing.
Implications for AgriTech Robotics
Key to the use of AMM in the workplace is the very fact that they are by design, autonomous. This has very specific implications for safety, not just the person commissioning them or the actual operator, but also for other staff working alongside. Equally important, is to consider how these machines might come into contact with visitors to the site or members of the public.
Unlike protected growing environments like greenhouses, farms in the UK face the specific challenge of having permitted byways, bridleways and footpaths across their land. This results in a unique set of risks that must be addressed before a business even adopts this technology and operates it out in the field.
What does the CoP cover?
BS 8646:2023 includes the following types of autonomous machines.
Types of AMM:
- Driverless platforms
- Autonomous crop management including monitoring, weeding, spraying, planting etc
- Autonomous harvesters
- Robotic livestock feeders and slurry management
This Code of Practice highlights five main areas each of which must be addressed by businesses working with AMM.
Key areas:
- Risk management
- Site design
- Operational planning
- Integration
- Existing employment and health and safety laws
These requirements place considerable obligations on employers for ensuring safety and to avoid the potential harm these machines could inflict upon people, livestock or property.
Risk Management
The introduction of AMM into crop based or livestock environments brings with it hazardous situations that are different from those encountered with typical farm machinery. Assessing these risks is just one part of the overall process of controlling risks in the workplace and key to this, is understanding how humans interact with these types of autonomous systems in the first place.
The CoP takes a closer look at the specific types of risks, the hazards that can result and the practical steps that should be considered to mitigate their potential effects.
Risk management for AMM is the subject of one of the new LANTRA accredited courses now available on this website. The course is designed to take the business owner, their H&S manager or AMM operator through an effective risk management process for these types of machines.
Site Design
It is critical that mapping and route planning are included in the site design assessment before using AMM. It is also crucial for effective commissioning. Factors to consider include zoning for specific operations; the provision of essential services such as inputs, calibration and battery charging for example.
Operational Planning
The CoP highlights issues for day-to-day operations such as transport and handling and understanding exactly what the AMM capabilities and limitations are. Plans should be put in place to ensure AMM are properly monitored and systems must be established for staff to report issues. Clear protocols for working with these machines are essential to support health and safety.
Ei Operator-AgriTech hosts an online LANTRA accredited course for those employees most affected by operational planning and site design and is especially useful for manufacturers or distributors looking to commission AMM and for the business owner/manager intending to adopt them.
Integration
Assessing the impact that the Code of Practice has for businesses adopting autonomous machines from commissioning through to their integration into normal operations has many implications for health and safety. They include:
- The obligations placed on senior managers and staff during the commissioning process
- The requirement to ensure accurate and effective training is delivered to relevant staff
- Repair and maintenance routines
- Emergency procedures
All these factors are covered in detail by Ei Operator-AgriTech’s online course, accredited by LANTRA, giving employees tasked with integrating AMM a simple and easy to use framework for tackling these key considerations.
Existing employment and health and safety laws
Being able to recognise where the CoP intersects with existing UK law will ensure employers deal with all the new challenges introduced by operating an autonomous machine in the workplace. Understanding how to achieve compliance with these regulations and the CoP is essential. Knowing what best practice looks like and protecting employees, visitors and members of the public will ensure a workplace culture of safety and compliance.
These challenges alongside summaries for each of the five main areas highlighted above are included in the Introduction to AMM course, also hosted by Ei Operator-AgriTech and accredited by LANTRA.
About Ei Operator-AgriTech
Ei Operator is a well-established business providing online, accredited training in the agricultural and horticultural sectors. They have worked for many years with City and Guilds, BASIS Registration Ltd, The National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) and more recently, Lantra.
Prompted by the growth in the robotics sector, they launched a series of health and safety courses based on the recently published Code of Practice for the farming industry.
