A near miss on the family farm inspired Kerry woman Marie Martin (then just 15) to invent the Safe Scrub Sprayer: a tractor-mounted front loader sprayer, which promotes a safer and healthier application of weed killer as it is activated from inside the cab.
Marie (now 23) divides her time between her family farm in Dingle, which is the base for her machinery business, Martin’s Safety Equipment, and UCC, where she is in her final year studying commerce.
“The idea was the result of an accident that happened at home, I never had any plans for a business. I was helping dad on the farm one day and we were spraying weed killer. I was driving the tractor and he was outside with the hand lance. He was wearing all the protective material and we were spraying for hours. Afterwards, he got really sick and started vomiting. He went to the doctor – which is rare for my dad or any farmer – and he was told: “It didn’t kill you this time, but don’t ever do it again.”
“Dad was doing everything right in terms of health and safety, but what was out there wasn’t enough to protect farmers because anything that kills weeds instantly has a major impact on the human body.
“At that time, I was in transition year at secondary school and I had a lot of free time, so I took part in the Young Entrepreneur Programme and I went to my teacher with this problem. I started working out in the garage. Dad had taught me to weld from a very young age and my parents thought I was going crazy because I spent all my spare time there, welding and yelling at myself for getting it wrong.
“Eventually I created a product that worked, but it wasn’t marketable, it was a bit rough around the edges. My dad started using it and it worked perfectly and then his friend did too. I ended up winning the Young Entrepreneur Programme and got recognised by Enterprise Ireland. They have been a huge support in terms of growing our market here and abroad.
“The most difficult hurdle was getting farmers to pay attention because I was a very young female in a male-dominated industry. I remember our first day at our launch at Abbeydorney Ploughing. I was so hyper and happy because my baby was out there, I had all this support and a really good idea that I knew worked.”
Breakthrough“The first farmer came over and I explained the benefits of using the Safe Scrub Sprayer, how it was healthier, safer and more efficient and how you’re saving money. He said: ‘You’re not selling this?’ I replied: ‘Of course I am.’ And he answered: ‘You’re just a young girl, you know nothing about farming.’ I was raging and had to walk away. The only way I have been able to overcome that is to leave the product and to simply have a conversation about farming before I even introduce the Safe Scrub Sprayer or me.
“I ask them questions about the farming industry that they are in and the economics, and they build an understanding with me and recognise that I know what I’m talking about. I was reading the Irish Farmers Journal like it was my bible.
“I was becoming obsessed with it because that feeling is so horrible, to be belittled for something that I created. It doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with them either, the industry has been built that way over generations.
“There are a lot of barriers that need to be broken and they have been in recent years, but there is still a lot of stigma out there.
“I have been running the business, but I want to become more educated in different areas. Every summer I have worked for a company or studied abroad. I’m always trying to learn new things and take them back to the business.
“Studying and running a business always brings an element of stress and pressure. From product development and our peak sales time in spring, it can be hard to balanc, but I have a wonderful team at home. My dad, mum and brother are amazing supports and it has become a family business. I also get a lot of support from UCC.
“We have three generations to the Safe Scrub Sprayer. We have the original one, the Safe Scrub Sprayer with a hydraulic arm and the Safe Scrub Sprayer with a breakaway system. We’re working on other products as well, including slurry detachments for when you are connecting your slurry tank to the pipe, so there is a lot more in the pipeline.
“Farm safety is something that I want to continue contributing to. A lot of accidents have happened over the last few years and a few of them could have been avoided. I think it is about educating more than anything.”
Marie Martin. \ Lynda Kenny
Find out more about Martin’s Safety Equipment at www.theagrilife.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/MPMSafetyEquip.
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A near miss on the family farm inspired Kerry woman Marie Martin (then just 15) to invent the Safe Scrub Sprayer: a tractor-mounted front loader sprayer, which promotes a safer and healthier application of weed killer as it is activated from inside the cab.
Marie (now 23) divides her time between her family farm in Dingle, which is the base for her machinery business, Martin’s Safety Equipment, and UCC, where she is in her final year studying commerce.
“The idea was the result of an accident that happened at home, I never had any plans for a business. I was helping dad on the farm one day and we were spraying weed killer. I was driving the tractor and he was outside with the hand lance. He was wearing all the protective material and we were spraying for hours. Afterwards, he got really sick and started vomiting. He went to the doctor – which is rare for my dad or any farmer – and he was told: “It didn’t kill you this time, but don’t ever do it again.”
“Dad was doing everything right in terms of health and safety, but what was out there wasn’t enough to protect farmers because anything that kills weeds instantly has a major impact on the human body.
“At that time, I was in transition year at secondary school and I had a lot of free time, so I took part in the Young Entrepreneur Programme and I went to my teacher with this problem. I started working out in the garage. Dad had taught me to weld from a very young age and my parents thought I was going crazy because I spent all my spare time there, welding and yelling at myself for getting it wrong.
“Eventually I created a product that worked, but it wasn’t marketable, it was a bit rough around the edges. My dad started using it and it worked perfectly and then his friend did too. I ended up winning the Young Entrepreneur Programme and got recognised by Enterprise Ireland. They have been a huge support in terms of growing our market here and abroad.
“The most difficult hurdle was getting farmers to pay attention because I was a very young female in a male-dominated industry. I remember our first day at our launch at Abbeydorney Ploughing. I was so hyper and happy because my baby was out there, I had all this support and a really good idea that I knew worked.”
Breakthrough“The first farmer came over and I explained the benefits of using the Safe Scrub Sprayer, how it was healthier, safer and more efficient and how you’re saving money. He said: ‘You’re not selling this?’ I replied: ‘Of course I am.’ And he answered: ‘You’re just a young girl, you know nothing about farming.’ I was raging and had to walk away. The only way I have been able to overcome that is to leave the product and to simply have a conversation about farming before I even introduce the Safe Scrub Sprayer or me.
“I ask them questions about the farming industry that they are in and the economics, and they build an understanding with me and recognise that I know what I’m talking about. I was reading the Irish Farmers Journal like it was my bible.
“I was becoming obsessed with it because that feeling is so horrible, to be belittled for something that I created. It doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with them either, the industry has been built that way over generations.
“There are a lot of barriers that need to be broken and they have been in recent years, but there is still a lot of stigma out there.
“I have been running the business, but I want to become more educated in different areas. Every summer I have worked for a company or studied abroad. I’m always trying to learn new things and take them back to the business.
“Studying and running a business always brings an element of stress and pressure. From product development and our peak sales time in spring, it can be hard to balanc, but I have a wonderful team at home. My dad, mum and brother are amazing supports and it has become a family business. I also get a lot of support from UCC.
“We have three generations to the Safe Scrub Sprayer. We have the original one, the Safe Scrub Sprayer with a hydraulic arm and the Safe Scrub Sprayer with a breakaway system. We’re working on other products as well, including slurry detachments for when you are connecting your slurry tank to the pipe, so there is a lot more in the pipeline.
“Farm safety is something that I want to continue contributing to. A lot of accidents have happened over the last few years and a few of them could have been avoided. I think it is about educating more than anything.”
Marie Martin. \ Lynda Kenny
Find out more about Martin’s Safety Equipment at www.theagrilife.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/MPMSafetyEquip.
Read more
My Country Living: 'I left school at 14, it was a different world that time'
From farmers' blocades to the Biafra war
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