Safety drive amid shock rise in deaths on the farm
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Wednesday March 10 2010
TEAGASC Director Professor Gerry Boyle has called on all farmers to make farm safety a high priority to reduce the recent surge in fatalities on farms.
To-date in 2010 eight workplace deaths have occurred on farms, this compares to eleven for all of 2009.
"While accidents are caused by a multitude of factors, international studies indicate that human errors are involved in approximately 90 per cent of them. This suggests that the first and most immediate approach to cut the shocking toll of tragedy, pain and suffering associated with farm injuries, is to dramatically heighten awareness of the causes and consequences of injury," Professor Boyle said.
Specific measures being put into immediate effect are the inclusion of a presentation on health and safety at major Teagasc events, farm discussion groups and in newsletters.
Professor Boyle said that particular attention will be paid to dairy farmers as a recent Teagasc/HSA study showed that 58 per cent of fatal farm accidents occurred in dairying, with just 17 per cent of farmers engaged in the enterprise.
Teagasc will provide a FETAC accredited Health and Safety Training course in 2010 and which will be available to all farmers.
