Farmers urged to put workplace safety first

SAFETY on farms will have to be a priority, according to Jobs Minister Richard Bruton.

The minister yesterday joined with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) to make farms a safer place to work.

Six out of the 18 reported deaths in Irish workplaces this year have been related to agriculture.

Margaret Healy, national farm family chair of the IFA, warns these figures must not continue.

“That was horrendous and we can’t have another repeat of that,” said Ms Healy.

“We’re coming up to a busy time now on Irish farms and it is just to remind people to be more aware of the heightened dangers over the rest of the summer.”

According to the HSA, approximately 50% of all farm deaths involve farm vehicles or machinery, while unguarded power-take-off shafts at the back of tractors are a main cause.

In the last 10 years, 15% of farm deaths were caused by livestock.

Drowning is the third most common cause of deaths on farms at 14% while open slurry pits are seen as particularly dangerous for children.

The farming sector in Ireland accounts for about 30% of workplace deaths, despite just 6% of the national workforce being employed in the sector.

Of the six farm deaths this year, all victims have been aged over 50. Four deaths involved machinery. Ms Healy says people need to be take more care with machines: “People need to slow down. Take a few minutes before you start any job. Those few minutes could save a life. The main message to get across is to stop and think,” she added.

In comparison to the rest of Europe, Ireland is among the safest in terms of agricultural accidents. In January, President Mary McAleese launched the ‘Think Safety, Farm Safely’ campaign to encourage farmers to prioritise safety after 25 deaths in farm-related incidents in 2010.