It’s hard to believe that 214 farm families have been impacted profoundly with the death of a family member from a farming- or forestry-related accident over the last 10 years.

The level is not decreasing. This year we have seen even more accidents and farm-related deaths with 14 deaths so far recorded in 2020.

The last time we saw this level, for this time of the year, we ended up with 30 farming-related deaths. We can slice and dice it all we like, but livestock and machinery account for the majority by far.

Machinery, in the broadest meaning of the word, is by far the biggest culprit.

Slice the HSA pie chart another way than what’s laid out on this page and you could say tractors, vehicles and machinery account for 104 of the 214 deaths over the last 10 years – that’s over 50% related to farm machinery.

The message from the HSA is simple – make it black and white with no in-between.

Training course

Pat Griffin, of the HSA, said: “Young people should not drive tractors until they are 14 years of age and then they should go on a training course and only gradually be involved in the business on machines that are 100% up-to-scratch with all parts present and in working mode.”

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