Health and Safety Authority in two-week inspection blitz of farms

A TWO-WEEK blitz of farm inspections is being conducted countrywide by the Health and Safety Authority.

Inspectors will be visiting up to 300 farms to check that measures are in place to minimise the risks of accidents.

To date, this year, there have been nine deaths reported due to work activity on farms compared with 11 for all of last year.

The main cause of death and serious injury on farms involves tractors and machinery. Inspectors will be checking to see that these are properly maintained and particularly that PTO shafts are properly guarded.

Other areas of concern are open slurry pits, ungated children’s play areas and livestock handling. Inspectors will be requesting that farmers have assessed risks and put measures in place to minimise those hazards.

Pat Griffin, senior inspector of the Health and Safety Authority, said there are resources available to assist farmers in complying with health and safety regulations and reducing the possibility of accidents.

The Farm Safety Code of Practice and the online risk assessment tool (www.farmsafely.com) are free resources available to farmers that will greatly assist in minimising the risk of death or serious injury on farms, he said.

“The purpose of these Inspections is to make farms safer places to work and live for farmers and their families,” he said.