Farm safety programme to roll out to primary school pupils

Students of Scoil Na Mainistreach learning about being safe on the farm when using machinery with Agri Aware chairman Shay Galvin and the Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety Martin Heydon at the launch of the new farm safety programme at the DAFM Backweston Campus in Celbridge, Co Kildare.

A new farm safety programme for primary school pupils has been launched. 

Agri Aware's 'Safe Farm Futures' will be available to primary schools across the country and aims to educate and raise awareness of the importance of keeping safe on farms.

This programme aims to "deliver a rounded guide to farm safety, ensuring that the work we do on farms is safe by recognising and increasing awareness around the dangers on farms, so that we can all farm sustainably and in a safe environment for all", according to Agri Aware.

Risks

Speaking at the launch of the programme, Agri Aware chairman Shay Galvin said: "In 2023, 16 deaths occurred in the farming sector which is far too many, and already in 2024, we have sadly had another fatality on a farm.

Educating the next generation on farm safety from a young age is critically important. 

"Farms are a wonderful place to make happy memories, whether it be helping your grandparents or parents on the farm.

"However, as we all know, there are risks and dangers to one’s health when working on a farm and to ensure the safety of the next generation, educating them on the risks associated with a working farm and ensuring they engage in safe practices is crucial."

Learning plans

The programme has separate learning plans for junior and senior primary school level students and comprises of three learning plan topics that teachers and their students will engage with - countryside care; animals and you; and moving parts: know where to start.

All three topics will be accompanied by a suite of resources including activity lesson plans, webinars, and activity sheets.

Schools that complete the programme will be in with a chance of winning prizes of up to €2,000 which will be invested in the students' wellbeing and learning.

Announcing the department’s funding of the initiative, Minister of State Martin Heydon said: "Children in farming families are particularly at risk of being involved in a farm safety incident due to the proximity of the farmyard to the family home. 

"Unfortunately, one in 10 fatal incidents on Irish farms involves children with 21 fatal incidents involving children over the period 2013–2022. 

"Many more children are injured each year on Irish farms."

The programme will be available to schools from February. Registration is now open online.