A number of practical demonstrations will take place at a conference on Lyons Research Farm, Co Kildare, on 20 April in an effort to improve farm safety.

The conference is titled Safeguarding the future of farming and is hosted by FBD and the HSA. It will include talks from keynote speakers and four practical farm safety demonstrations.

Now is the time for us to lead in relation to safety

According to the HSA’s findings, 210 people died on farms between 2008 and 2017, with the agriculture sector often accounting for 50% of all work-related deaths in Ireland.

The demonstrations will focus on at-risk areas including:

  • Machinery and PTO shafts.
  • Working at heights.
  • Tractors and farm vehicles.
  • Working with livestock.

    • Dr Aoife Osbourne, an FBD lecturer in farm health and safety at UCD, will co-ordinate the demonstrations.

    Senior inspector with the HSA Pat Griffin said: “For me, the way to safeguard the future of farming is to make Irish farms the safest in Europe. We are already European leaders when it comes to producing quality food, now is the time for us to lead in relation to safety.”

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