Farm safety means never having to say 'sorry'

Farm vehicles and tractors crossing danger and warning sign uk

Safety means never having to say sorry - that’s one of the messages from Show Jumping Ireland as another event season is set to begin.

It is a thought-provoking line that thousands of people who will flock to the country’s agricultural shows over the next six months should note.

Greenfield sites will become pop-up towns with the movement of people, animals, machinery exhibits and vehicles.

Jeeps and horse boxes, quad bikes, electric scooters and tractors old and new will move along the crowded pathways.

Agricultural shows and events all bring excitement, colour and joy to the areas, which are a proud part of rural heritage. But with so much activity, there is always the potential for accidents.

Visitors are urged to heed instructions of stewards, drive slowly and carefully, never too close to lorries or trailers, ensure children are always supervised and kept a safe distance from cattle, horses, and machinery.

Great efforts continue to be made by individual shows and their umbrella body, the Irish Shows Association, and by the Show Jumping Association of Ireland and other bodies, to ensure these events are successful, enjoyable and accident-free.

All shows now have safety officers, many of whom have attended training courses to help them carry out their duties.

These include the erection of public signage, carrying out inspections to identify and control potential hazards and ensuring that animals are led by competent handlers.

Last month, in reparation for this year’s showing season, which begins in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare, on Sunday, the ISA held a safety think tank seminar in Carlow, Mitchelstown, Virginia and Sligo, covering each of its four regions.

Shows not represented at the events ran the risk of having to pay an increased Insurance premium or maybe risk not getting cover at all. The continued need for on-farm risk assessments was repeatedly stressed.

The statistic that 197 people have lost their lives due to a farm accident over the last ten years underlines the need for such vigilance.

Fatalities on farms account for nearly half of all fatal workplace incidents in Ireland. However, farmers only represent 6% of the workforce.

With around 2,800 serious injuries annually on farms, many are life-changing and place the farmers’ livelihood at risk.

Individual shows have therefore become platforms for various stakeholders to highlight the issues and promote farm safety.

The Department of Agriculture, whose dedicated farm safety budget for this year was increased to €2.5m, is among the those spreading the message.

Teagasc, the Health and Safety Authority, Farm Relief Service, the Irish Farmers Association, and others in the farm lobby, along with the agri-business sector regularly promote health and safety among farmers.

They do so through information stands, seminars, demonstrations, video screening and meeting visitors.

Tractors and quad bikes are also currently the focus of a two-week Health and Safety Authority national inspection campaign which ends tomorrow.

Statistics show there were 34 vehicle-related fatalities on farms in the five years up to 2022 — 18 of these involved tractors and people over 65.

Four of the deaths were related to quadbikes. Two involved children, and the other two fatalities were people over 60.

The campaign reminded farmers ahead of the busy silage season that serious injuries or further deaths can be prevented if farmers carry out risk assessments.

They were also advised to plan their work in advance, ensure important precautions are taken and remember to keep people and vehicles separate to ensure safety.

Meanwhile, Tullamore is the venue for an Embrace FARM conference today to discuss the impact of its Encircle Programme on the farming community.

The focus will be on assisting the emotional well-being of farm families through their loss and the practical support and information they may require.

Tullamore Show also hosted an interactive Farm Safety Live demonstration last year as a practical example of the importance of farm safety.

Developed by FRS Training, HSA and FBD Insurance, the aim was to get people thinking more about safety on the farm, giving them practical tips and actions to take home.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said it is critical that safety is at the core of everything people do at farm level.

“You are only ever one step away from being in danger. Planning is necessary to ensure you and everyone on the farm stays safe,” he said.

Minister of State Martin Heydon said he was delighted Tullamore Show had a dedicated farm safety stand.

“We should never miss the opportunity when we have farmers, and their families gathered together to remind them of the risks on farms.

“The fact is that Irish farmers are seven times more likely to die in a workplace incident than any of the other two million workers in Ireland.

“We’re asking everyone to take away one tip, bring it home to your own farm and apply it,” he said, an apt show day message in the context of an old rhyming slogan: “At work at play, let safety lead the way.”