Cow shed danger warning after death

A farmer's death has prompted Occupation Safety and Health (OSH) to warn all farmers about the dangers of rotary cowsheds.

Chris Welch, aged 35, was crushed by the rotation of his new milking platform in Southland last Friday.

Mr Welch was in his fourth dairy season in Southland, after moving from the family farm at Taupiri, near Huntly, said Dairy Farmers' Southland vice-president, Russell Falconer.

Mr Welch was Dairy Farmers' Southland president and vice-president of Federated Farmers Southland.

Work had just been completed on the new rotary shed and it is understood herd testing was under way.

OSH Southland service manager John Pannett said all OSH regions had been told how the accident happened.

It is thought Mr Welch was caught by a device which removes cups from cows and a bar which prevents them backing off the milking platform.

"Any system that uses such a method has the potential to trap," Mr Pannett said.

"It is farmers' responsibility to protect themselves and their workers."

If OSH staff came across a similar rotary system they would tell farmers of the potential hazard.

Mr Welch's Requiem Mass will be held in St Anthony's Catholic Church in Huntly on Saturday.

- NZPA