Both ministers have expressed a “strong desire” to make the summer of 2017 a safe summer for farm families. In a meeting with leaders from farm organisations on Tuesday they called on the farming community to collectively, and individually, re-double their efforts to reduce and eliminate farm accidents and fatalities.

This is especially timely during the summer season and with school holidays just around the corner there will be an increased presence of children on the farm.

According to Pat Breen, the Minister for Employment and Small Business, the Government is committed to tackling farm safety issues. He welcomed the Health and Safety Authority’s new code of practice on preventing injury and occupational ill health in agriculture.

"This was the first meeting of its kind to take place in two years," Breen told the Irish Farmers Journal. "All organisations agreed to revert with submissions setting out suggestions for targeted actions. A further meeting will be convened to retain the focus and the buy in from all players."

Statistics

Across all work sectors 520 people were killed in work-related accidents in the period from 2007 to 2016 while in the last seven years, 138 people have been killed in farm accidents alone, making farming the most dangerous occupation in terms of fatalities. The recent ESRI report on farm safety, revealed that more than one in four – of those interviewed by the ESRI – had experienced a “near miss” on the farm in previous 10 years. One in eight (12%) had experienced an actual accident.

In the first four months of this year alone, there were 11 fatal accidents on Irish farms.

“I am calling on the farming community, and the organisations that represent it, to use their collective expertise and influence to spearhead cultural and behavioural change at farm level,” Breen said.

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, echoed the call.

“While there are many risks in farming, farming does not have to be a dangerous occupation,” Creed said. “Behavioural change is what is required to prevent many accidents. It is a case of being aware of the dangers and taking the time to do what is necessary to minimise the risk.”

Read more

Watch: safe family farms schools competition