New farm safety plan as Cork and Kerry see the highest number of farm deaths 

More than half (51%) of the worker victims were aged 65 years or older, while 21 of the victims were aged under 18.

Dr Sharon McGuinness, CEO of the Health and Safety Authority launching the Farm Safety Action Plan 2021-2024 with Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Farm Safety, Martin Heydon, Chairperson of the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee Ciaran Roche, and Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English. Picture: Finbarr O’Rourke

Ireland’s agricultural sector remains one of the most dangerous workplaces with the latest figures recording 208 fatal accidents over the past decade.

The figures were confirmed by the Health and Safety Authority’s Review of Work-Related Deaths in Agriculture in Ireland 2011-2020 as the organisation published its latest action plan to improve safety on farms over the next four years.