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Farmers are being urged to adopt better farm safety practices as the industry has recorded the highest number of deaths per sector for the second year in the row.
“Tragically, 47 people lost their lives due to work activity in 2017 with the farming sector yet again recording the highest fatality rate with 24 deaths,” Minister for Trade and Business Pat Breen said.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) conducted 10,000 health and safety inspections last year, 20% of which were targeted at the agriculture sector.
Some 1,776 HSA farm inspections and 65 investigations were carried out over three inspection campaigns in 2017.
Slurry and livestock
The HSA highlighted serious concerns around slurry points and livestock handling facilities.
Over 40% of farms were found to have poor compliance with safe systems for agitating and spreading slurry during inspections last May.
The HSA also issued 19 prohibition notices on machines that were found to have poor handbrake maintenance and inadequate PTO guards.
Children and the elderly
Play areas and awareness of elderly farmers were highlighted as key areas of concern by the HSA.
Machinery and livestock were the leading cause of death and farmers are asked to take particular care of children during the summer months, with school holidays and the increased use of machinery in yards.
Some 210 people lost their lives as a result of farm accidents over the last decade according to a HSA report, 23 of whom were children.
To date, 15 people have lost their lives this year as a result of farm accidents.
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