Workplace fatalities down, farm deaths rise

The number of farm deaths rose last year, despite a reduction in the overall number of people killed in workplaces in 2016.

The head of the workplace safety watchdog said the figures point to a “systemic problem” with farm safety.

The Health and Safety Authority has published its end-of-year figures for 2016, which show 44 people were killed in the workplace last year, compared to 56 in the preceding year.