The Farm Safety Partnership, an advisory committee of the Health and Safety Authority, has published its Farm Safety Action Plan 2016-18. The new action plan, published during farm safety week, lays out a series of specific actions and priorities for tackling the high rates of illness, injury and death on Irish farms.
According to HSA statistics, farming continues to be the most dangerous sector in which to work. Annual fatalities in recent years are as high as 50% of the overall total from a sector that employs just 6% of the workforce. So far this year, seven people have lost their lives in work-related accidents on farms. Over the five-year period between 2011 and 2015, 106 people were killed on farms and many more seriously injured.
2014, when 30 people died on Irish farms, was the worst year for deaths in the sector in over 20 years.
Six main goals
The plan sets out six main goals for the next three years. These are:
1. To achieve cultural behavioural change in health and safety of persons working in the agricultural sector through research, education and training.2. To develop programmes that will foster innovative approaches and deliver engineering solutions to reduce the risks to persons working in agriculture.3. To reduce the level of death and injury arising from tractor and machinery use.4. To establish initiatives to reduce the level of death and injuries arising from working with livestock.5. To ensure high standards of health and safety are adopted in forestry and timber work on farms.6. To implement programmes for the protection of health and wellbeing of persons, including vulnerable groups, working in agriculture.Education, both through literature and interaction, is a key conduit to achieving these goals. For example, one of the actions highlighted by the plan is the appointment of a new FBD farm safety lecturer in University College Dublin.
Moreover, ‘Champions for Change’ farm safety seminars are to be delivered to all agricultural colleges annually.
There is also an action to maintain and update the farm safety module delivered as part of all Green Cert agricultural courses, as well as a drive to include health and safety as a component of the Leaving Certificate agricultural science syllabus. There is also a suggestion to influence future EU policy to include health and safety training as a requirement of future EU-funded schemes.
This is our second three-year action plan and although we’ve seen significant increases in awareness and understanding of the hazards on farms, this is not being borne out by sustained reductions in the number of fatalities occurring each year
Media is another conduit highlighted by the plan and there is a drive to support farm safety media campaigns in national and local media, including an all-island focused campaign.
There is also a drive to increase farm safety messaging on good practices through farming media.
Farmers will also be encouraged to avail of and comply with the farm safety elements of the TAMS schemes and promote farmer-to-farmer mentoring and support systems.
Make sure the tractor is in perfect working order, that the PTO guard is in place, get the handbrake fixed, be alert for signs of aggressiveness in livestock, stay off fragile roofs
Comment
Speaking after the publication of the plan, Jim Phelan, HSA board member and chair of the Farm Safety Partnership, said: “This is our second three-year action plan and although we’ve seen significant increases in awareness and understanding of the hazards on farms, this is not being borne out by sustained reductions in the number of fatalities occurring each year.
“Certain hazards are still causing the majority of fatal and serious injury,” Mr Phelan continued. “In particular, working with machinery and livestock must be carried out with greater care. Make sure the tractor is in perfect working order, that the PTO guard is in place, get the handbrake fixed, be alert for signs of aggressiveness in livestock, stay off fragile roofs – simple steps like these will save lives and prevent serious injuries.”
Welcoming the publication of the action plan, Minister for Employment and Small Business Pat Breen TD said: “It is appropriate that this action plan has been developed with input from a wide range of key farming stakeholders. We must encourage all farmers to prioritise safety and health on their farms. There is no task so urgent or important to justify risking death or serious injury. The vast majority of accidents on farms are preventable and levels of awareness within farming communities are high. The key now is for farmers to put safety at the centre of their activities and take just a few minutes each day to think about what they’re doing.”
Read the full plan here.
Read more
Full coverage: Farm Safety Week
The Farm Safety Partnership, an advisory committee of the Health and Safety Authority, has published its Farm Safety Action Plan 2016-18. The new action plan, published during farm safety week, lays out a series of specific actions and priorities for tackling the high rates of illness, injury and death on Irish farms.
According to HSA statistics, farming continues to be the most dangerous sector in which to work. Annual fatalities in recent years are as high as 50% of the overall total from a sector that employs just 6% of the workforce. So far this year, seven people have lost their lives in work-related accidents on farms. Over the five-year period between 2011 and 2015, 106 people were killed on farms and many more seriously injured.
2014, when 30 people died on Irish farms, was the worst year for deaths in the sector in over 20 years.
Six main goals
The plan sets out six main goals for the next three years. These are:
1. To achieve cultural behavioural change in health and safety of persons working in the agricultural sector through research, education and training.2. To develop programmes that will foster innovative approaches and deliver engineering solutions to reduce the risks to persons working in agriculture.3. To reduce the level of death and injury arising from tractor and machinery use.4. To establish initiatives to reduce the level of death and injuries arising from working with livestock.5. To ensure high standards of health and safety are adopted in forestry and timber work on farms.6. To implement programmes for the protection of health and wellbeing of persons, including vulnerable groups, working in agriculture.Education, both through literature and interaction, is a key conduit to achieving these goals. For example, one of the actions highlighted by the plan is the appointment of a new FBD farm safety lecturer in University College Dublin.
Moreover, ‘Champions for Change’ farm safety seminars are to be delivered to all agricultural colleges annually.
There is also an action to maintain and update the farm safety module delivered as part of all Green Cert agricultural courses, as well as a drive to include health and safety as a component of the Leaving Certificate agricultural science syllabus. There is also a suggestion to influence future EU policy to include health and safety training as a requirement of future EU-funded schemes.
This is our second three-year action plan and although we’ve seen significant increases in awareness and understanding of the hazards on farms, this is not being borne out by sustained reductions in the number of fatalities occurring each year
Media is another conduit highlighted by the plan and there is a drive to support farm safety media campaigns in national and local media, including an all-island focused campaign.
There is also a drive to increase farm safety messaging on good practices through farming media.
Farmers will also be encouraged to avail of and comply with the farm safety elements of the TAMS schemes and promote farmer-to-farmer mentoring and support systems.
Make sure the tractor is in perfect working order, that the PTO guard is in place, get the handbrake fixed, be alert for signs of aggressiveness in livestock, stay off fragile roofs
Comment
Speaking after the publication of the plan, Jim Phelan, HSA board member and chair of the Farm Safety Partnership, said: “This is our second three-year action plan and although we’ve seen significant increases in awareness and understanding of the hazards on farms, this is not being borne out by sustained reductions in the number of fatalities occurring each year.
“Certain hazards are still causing the majority of fatal and serious injury,” Mr Phelan continued. “In particular, working with machinery and livestock must be carried out with greater care. Make sure the tractor is in perfect working order, that the PTO guard is in place, get the handbrake fixed, be alert for signs of aggressiveness in livestock, stay off fragile roofs – simple steps like these will save lives and prevent serious injuries.”
Welcoming the publication of the action plan, Minister for Employment and Small Business Pat Breen TD said: “It is appropriate that this action plan has been developed with input from a wide range of key farming stakeholders. We must encourage all farmers to prioritise safety and health on their farms. There is no task so urgent or important to justify risking death or serious injury. The vast majority of accidents on farms are preventable and levels of awareness within farming communities are high. The key now is for farmers to put safety at the centre of their activities and take just a few minutes each day to think about what they’re doing.”
Read the full plan here.
Read more
Full coverage: Farm Safety Week
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