Safety efforts failing as number of farm deaths doubles, claims MEP

THE number of deaths on farms as a result of work accidents has doubled in the past year as efforts to improve safety fail, according to MEP Jim Higgins.

The agriculture industry is one of the most lethal work environments in the country with more than half the deaths involving heavy machinery, the Fine Gael member of the European Parliament said.

So far this year, 23 people have been killed on farms as a result of work-related accidents, more than double the 11 deaths last year.

Efforts to improve safety were failing he said and he urged that the emphasis be changed from penalties to information and education campaigns.

There are nearly 130,000 farms in the country, accounting for 10% of jobs, and numbers are set to grow as the economic crisis has increased the number of students going to agricultural colleges, the MEP said.

“Farming is once again considered as a viable livelihood for many but we must place a greater emphasis on developing a community-based approach to encourage farm safety for experienced and first-time farmers alike — courses need to be practical, free and locally based,” said Mr Higgins.

Currently, farms are legally required to complete an online risk assessment, the farm safety code of practice, which according to the Health and Safety Authority only a third of farmers have done so.

Mr Higgins pointed out that online assessments are not practical since broadband internet access is not available to many in the north west, and some do not have computer access.

“Farmers would be more responsive to encouragement and positive campaigns rather than increasing economic pressures with on-the-spot fines as is currently the case,” he said.

Government plans to increase prosecution, impose heavy fines and affect direct payments were not the answer to improving farm safety.

“What we need is accessible local training schemes that will educate farmers — not scaremongering,” he said.

This week is European Safety Week and the theme is ‘safe maintenance’ to make workers and employers more aware of how important it is to maintain equipment and to minimise the dangers when carrying out maintenance.