How to Ensure You Have a Safe and Efficient Farm

How to Ensure You Have a Safe and Efficient Farm

Installing alarms, safety training and fencing could be the difference in a secure farm.

Trespassing, theft and safety of employees are just some of the things that can be a worry when you own a farm. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure your farm is a safe and efficient place to work.

Install Alarms and CCTV

Install alarms and CCTV on your farm. You may want to consider installing lights around the edge of your land, as they can ward would-be trespassers off, or even better identify them caught in the act.

If you do decide to install an alarm, there are two types to choose from: a loud alarm, which will give criminals a shock, or a silent alarm. While the intruder won’t know the alarm is going, it will contact the police automatically; meaning criminals have a higher chance of being caught red-handed.

For many farms, livestock can be a prime target for thieves, so ensure you install CCTV around their fields. Should an animal go missing, you’ll need to be able to identify them – so always tag your livestock, and take pictures of them with these tags clearly visible.

Health & Safety Training

Harvest time can be a peak period for farms, and you may decide to employ some casual workers to help you out. However, as you’re probably well aware, farms can be a dangerous place to work – especially if you’re new to the environment, and don’t know what to look out for.

That’s why you should always carry out training for your new starters, making sure they know how to operate everything, how to stay safe, and work efficiently. Point out the dangers they should be aware of, and show them how to minimize risks – for example, locking tools away and keeping workshops tidy.

Creating a handbook can be a good idea, as it means workers can take it away and refer to it again if they find they need to.

Take out Insurance

Did you know that it’s a requirement by the government that you have employers’ liability insurance arranged and in place before you employ any workers?

Unfortunately, accidents can happen, and whilst having employees who are aware of the risks and how to minimize them can help to prevent them; incidents can still strike unexpectedly. Should an employee become injured or ill as a result of the work carried out for you, then your insurance will help you to cover the compensation costs.

If you don’t have insurance? Then you’ll have to pay for any compensation and fees out of your own pocket, which will be very costly – and that can have a hugely negative impact on your farm.

Lock Your Vehicles Away

No doubt your vehicles are the most expensive thing you own on your farm, and for that reason they too, can be a prime target for thieves.

There are ways you can tackle this to help keep them safe: firstly, and most importantly, you should keep vehicles out of sight wherever possible (ideally in a securely locked shed), and always make sure the keys are taken out of the ignition – keep them with you at all times.

Should a vehicle go missing, if you mark your vehicles with your Business Identifier number, or have it fitted with a tracking device, then you stand a better chance of having it found and returned – although of course, there are no guarantees.

Keeping vehicles out of sight can not only deter thieves, they remove the risk of injury to those working on the farm too, so it’s something you should definitely get in the habit of doing, if you haven’t already.

Much like every other workplace, steps need to be taken to ensure that your farm is a safe and secure place to work, and this has two aspects: keeping criminals out, and ensuring people who work for you are safe. Follow these tips to make your farm a safe working environment, and one where your employees enjoy coming to work.

Create a Physical Barrier

You might have installed “No Trespass” signs around your farm, but that doesn’t mean people will always take note. One key way to prevent intruders and help keep your farm secure is to add in a physical barrier, and this can be done in a number of ways.

Planting hedges is one option, but you may decide to add in a physical fence – or even barbed wire – to strongly deter intruders from trespassing on your property.

You may also wish to have a guard dog too: not only will they help you to feel safe, their barks will alert you to any possible intruders, and should have trespassers running the opposite way.

For more information on physical barriers and fences, see First Fence.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services
  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.