Vigilance is key to stay safe in the busy season

With life getting busier as restrictions ease, there is an increasing need for rural communities to be on their guard

Micheál Sheridan, CEO Irish Community Air Ambulance, chief pilot Donnagh Verling and John Keane, president of Macra na Feirme, at last month's joint safety campaign launch. 

The farms of Ireland are great places to land a helicopter — but the hopes behind a new farm and road safety campaign is that it won’t be an air ambulance.

Seasonal farm work is increasing. Silage cutting is under way. More machinery is on the move. Milk production is at a peak and plans are being made for the tillage harvest. More children are also present on and around farms.

It is also a busy time on the roads, with rising traffic volumes and an increasing number of people out walking, cycling and riding horses.

In a timely move, the Irish Community Air Ambulance and Macra na Feirme have launched a joint appeal to all rural communities to exercise care during this busy time in rural Ireland.

Statistics from the Community Air Ambulance show that the summer months are the busiest for the heli-med service, with the highest number of callouts during 2020 occurring in July.

Road traffic accidents account for the most incidents, with farm accidents and falls from heights requiring a regular response from the service based in Rathcoole, Co Cork.

There have been 38 farming-related taskings so far in 2021. These include incidents involving power take-off machinery, falls from heights and animal attacks.

So far this year, the service has responded to over 233 calls.

While Cork, Kerry, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford are the counties most likely to require the air ambulance, the helicopter was also tasked in 2021 to counties Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow and Galway.

The social media campaign launched by the Community Air Ambulance and Macra na Feirme says the service is available to those in need, but stresses that exercising care and engaging in best practice can dramatically reduce the risk of incidents.

Outdoor activities

Macra president John Keane said summer is one of the busiest times on Irish farms, with the silage season coinciding with a lot of outdoor activities.

He said: “Farmers are aware of the many dangers on the farm and always endeavour to ensure these risks are mitigated.

“However, we know that accidents are going to happen in the weeks ahead and we are appealing to people living in rural Ireland to stop and think about what they are doing, and whether it is safe.

“Not every accident will result in death, but many of them cause serious injury and all cause disruption.

“We are grateful that the Irish Community Air Ambulance service can respond, but the question for farmers is simple. How would you feel if it had to land in one of your fields?”

The Irish Community Air Ambulance works in partnership with the National Ambulance Service and is within 30 minutes flying time of any location in Munster. Chief executive Micheál Sheridan said the crew is ready to respond to every call, but are aware from last year that June and July are among the busiest months.

“As a rule, we are only ever called to the most serious incidents, where patients have suffered significant trauma. Our message to farmers, in conjunction with Macra na Feirme, is to please think of risk as they go about their day,” he said.

Martin Heydon, minister of State, thanked the Community Air Ambulance and Macra na Feirme for undertaking the campaign, which chimes with the Government’s ‘Be Summer Ready’ campaign.

“Now is an important time to remind farmers and all those who may visit farms of the need to be aware of all the risks.

"Tragically every year farming accounts for over 40% of all fatal workplace incidents nationwide.

“It is time for a cultural change towards farm safety, where we all play our part in driving down the unacceptably high levels of farm safety incidents,” he said.

There are on average 2,500 farming-related accidents in the Republic each year. Statistics show that 210 lives were lost in such incidents over the nine- years to 2020. A further 27 fatalities were recorded in the North from 2015 to 2020.

Remembrance service

Embrace Farm, the support network for people affected by farm accidents, will host its eighth annual remembrance service on June 27 at 2pm. 

For the second successive year it will be online via Embrace Farm. Over 220 names were honoured last year. The event founders, Laois farmers Brian and Breda Rohan, urge families to submit the names of loved ones lost or injured in farm accidents to be remembered on Sunday.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Road Safety Authority are also appealing to drivers of farming machinery and other road users to share the road safely during this busy period.

IFA president Tim Cullinan particularly urged motorists to be on the lookout for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards.

“We are also asking anyone driving farm machinery, especially on rural roads, to cut back on their speed, not to get distracted and understand that around every corner could be a neighbouring family or friend out for a walk, a cycle or maybe riding a horse.

Health and Safety Authority chief executive Sam Waide said the number of tractors and trailers out using the roads will increase dramatically during this busy period.

If you are travelling behind farm machinery, please be patient and only overtake when it’s safe to do so. Farmers should be aware of traffic building up behind them and keep left where possible and safe to do so to allow other vehicles pass safely,” Mr Waide said.

“Travel restrictions have only recently been lifted and drivers may be rusty."