The reality is that farm accidents happen too often.

With increasing financial pressures, weather considerations and heavy workloads, farmers are often forced to work long hours. Many farmers are pushed to their limits. When people are over stretched, either physically or mentally, that is when accidents are prone to happen.

The agricultural sector accounts for just 6% of the workforce, but an alarming 50% of all workplace fatal incidents, making farming Ireland’s most dangerous occupation.

A Review of Work-Related Fatalities in Agriculture in Ireland 2011-2020, a Health and Safety Authority (HSA) report, shows that there were 208 work-related fatalities in agriculture during that time period.

That is 208 farm families that lost a loved one, which as we all know, has a devastating effect on the family as well as on the wider community.

When people are over stretched, either physically or mentally, that is when accidents are prone to happen

The report clearly identifies age as a key risk factor and, although farm accidents occur at all ages, there is a greater risk to older and younger people on farms. Over half of all farm fatalities occurred to victims aged 65 years or more, highlighting the need for older farmers to pay particular attention to risks.

Not surprisingly, tractors and farm vehicles account for nearly 50% of all farm deaths. The main cause of death was the tractors driving over or rolling over.

Taking the necessary precautions with machinery – practicing the SAFE STOP procedure and regularly checking that machinery is in good working order before use will reduce the risk of accidents.

Training will not only be for farmers, but also for younger and older family members, and aims to foster farm health, safety and wellbeing within each generation of the farm family unit

We need farmers’ mindset towards farm safety to change. Farm safety should not be something we pay lip service too every year as part of Farm Safety Week, it should be an everyday issue. To help farmers better learn from the mistakes made, and in an effort to reduce accidents, the IFA has joined forces with Farm Relief Services (FRS), FBD, Teagasc and the HSA to develop a new online training platform - the Farm Family CPD project.

The training will be provided free of charge, thanks to funding from the Department under the EIP initiative. Training will not only be for farmers, but also for younger and older family members, and aims to foster farm health, safety and wellbeing within each generation of the farm family unit.

Don’t become another deadly statistic – make a change now and register your interest by visiting www.farmfamilycpd.ie.