Teagasc A-to-Z safety poster aims to reduce death and injury on farms

ADVICE on handling bulls, electricity, machinery and pesticides are among the 26 short tips in Teagasc’s new A-to-Z farm safety poster.

Launched yesterday by Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Teagasc Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co Galway, the new poster is aimed at tackling the rise in deaths and serious injuries on Irish farms.

Eleven people have died in farm accidents so far this year. The death toll reached 26 in 2010, up from 13 in 2009.

Mr Kenny said: “I know that Teagasc advisers work closely with farmers all over the country encouraging them to take health and safety actions on their farms.”

The Safety Poster is the ‘brain-child’ of Teagasc adviser Anthony O’Connor, who recently received a Teagasc staff Innovation Award for its development. The poster uses an A-to-Z format to remind farmers of key safety controls.

Mr O Connor said: “Farms can be dangerous places. I would like farmers to place the safety poster in a prominent place on their farm and spend a few minutes reviewing it before starting work every day — it could be a ‘life-saver’.”

The Taoiseach also commended Teagasc for its collaboration with the Health and Safety Authority on their national health and safety prevention initiative for the farming sector. The prevention initiative is strongly supported by farming organisations in association with the HSA’s farm safety partnership advisory committee, of which Teagasc is part.

Teagasc director Prof Gerry Boyle said: “We will be working with farmers over the autumn as part of this farm safety campaign to encourage farmers to be more vigilant and think ‘safety’ on their farms. international research strongly indicates adopting ‘safe behaviour’ and ‘actively addressing health and safety risks’ are the keys to preventing injury.”

HSA chief executive Martin O’Halloran asked farmers to “make a promise” to act in a safe way at this busy time on the land so that they come home to their families without injury.