The heatwave has led to reminders to farmers to take precautions. Ministers Heydon and Collins urged farmers to keep livestock hydrated with access to shelter, and to use suncream and keep themselves hydrated.

Farmers, being farmers, are more likely to take on board the measures relating to their animals than to take advice to protect themselves. But they should heed those warnings.

Ireland has one of the highest per capita rates of skin cancer in the world, with over 1,000 new melanoma cases diagnosed every year. Farmers need to get in the habit of making sure a bottle of factor 50 is in every tractor cab, alongside the water bottle and the WD40.

ADVERTISEMENT

A bottle of window cleaner in these dusty, polleny conditions wouldn’t go astray either.

Health awareness has improved among farmers, but not to the point where there has been a fundamental shift in priorities. Getting the job done is still paramount, particularly if the job in question is weather-dependant.

And it’s not just about protecting ourselves from the sun.

Tractors have so far escaped tachographs, indeed milk lorries also have an exemption.

That is a significant concession, and one that needs to be not taken lightly.

The evolution of tractors means a young lad or lassie hauling silage is light years removed from what their parents were contending with doing the same job at the same age.

Doubled

Over the last 30 years, tractor sizes have doubled, while the load capacity of trailers has trebled.

A typical load of grass is now over 15t, while 20t loads of grain will be common on roads in a few weeks.

The thing is, they’re the same roads. They haven’t doubled in width, so these bigger machines carry an elevated risk with them. Braking systems might be much better than previously, but on bendy back roads, how much time will a driver have to stop? And how much space?

Which makes it even more important that people never use their phones while driving tractors on the road. As in never.

There is simply no justification for it, and there isn’t any need either.

A radio with Bluetooth and a microphone can be installed in any tractor for €100 or so, giving handsfree call capacity to any driver. A taxi-driver style earpiece is also very affordable.

The concessions farmers and contractors have for road usage of tractors could be compromised by a couple of high-profile incidents. It’s incumbent on all of us to make sure that never happens.

So keep your skin as well-oiled as your baler, keep yourself as hydrated as your cattle and sheep, and keep your phone in your pocket while driving. For all our sakes.