The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) campaign takes the form of a multimedia competition.

According to the HSA, “students are invited to design a multimedia entry, such as: a video, app, social media campaign, website, animation or interactive game on farm safety and submit it for judging via the authority’s competition website www.choosefarmsafety.ie”.

Entry forms and full details can be downloaded from the same website and the deadline for entries is Friday 11 December.

Shortlisted entrants will be invited to participate in a Youth Task Force event on farm safety, which will inform the authority’s ongoing national farm safety campaign. Shortlisted entrants will also exhibit their entries at a national competition showcase and awards ceremony in Dublin Castle on 27 April 2016. Prizes include professional Go-Pro camera for the winners and other multi-media devices for finalists as well as trophies for winners in each category.

Changing behaviours

Martin O’Halloran, chief executive of the Health and Safety Authority, said: “The aim of this project is to raise awareness among post-primary students of farm safety and to give them a voice in providing solutions to effect change in safety behaviour among farming families and the wider farming community. We are strongly encouraging schools to get behind this competition.”

Joanne Harmon, education manager with the HSA, said: “Young people have a role to play in raising their own and others’ awareness around farm safety and many use multimedia in their daily lives, whether it’s gaming, social media or apps on mobile devices. This is an opportunity to use their knowledge and skills to become part of the national campaign to change safety behaviour on farms.”

Thirty people died while on Irish farms in 2014, making it the worst year for farm safety since records began. So far this year, 14 people have died as a result of an accident on the farm.