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Two-thirds of employer liability claims on Irish farms involve family members aged 14 or over, FBD analysis of insurance claims has shown.
It looked at claims over the five-year period between 2013 and 2018, a period in which farm accidents rose by 13%, according to the Teagasc National Farm Survey.
The FBD data reinforces the Teagasc finding that 92% of farm accidents in 2017 involved a family member, with 80% of accidents occurring in the farmyard or in farm buildings.
The insurance company also examined the 50 largest public liability claims over the five-year period.
It warned that the severity of construction-related incidents and the injuries associated with a fall from heights, many from as little as four to six feet, should not be under-estimated.
“The risks involved in farming are not unknown to farmers and their families. All too often accidents and fatalities occur on Irish farms which involve a family member or child,” said FBD’s risk manager Ciaran Roche.
Stark reminder
“These findings are a stark reminder of the dangers present on our family farms.
“Thinking ‘safety first’ and ensuring safe working practices is essential in farming,” he said.
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