Farm safety warning over children on tractors

Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan pleaded yesterday with farmers not to allow small children to travel in tractor cabs. The Health and Safety Authority warned that the "appalling" safety record on Irish farms seemed set to worsen this year.

Speaking in Sligo at the announcing of Farm Safety Week, which starts next Monday, the Minister warned that an accident could happen in just a "split second".

Acknowledging that small children are often fascinated by tractors, Ms Coughlan said young boys in particular were frequently allowed to travel in tractor cabs. "It will have to stop," she said.

Her colleague, Minister of State for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen, warned that safety inspectors would impose on-the-spot fines for safety breaches in the workplace once new legislation came into operation.

"I would be prepared to stand over that because too many of us have attended funerals which should not have happened because an easily-identified risk was not remedied," he said.

The HSA is highlighting the risks on the farm for elderly people. Of the 14 people who died on Irish farms last year, seven were aged 65 or over.

So far this year, five people have died on farms, four of whom were over 65. "It is deeply worrying that 80 per cent of those who have died in farm accidents this year are over the age of 65," said Mr Killeen.

Ms Coughlan pointed out that 35 per cent of people worked alone on farms, and she said it was tempting for elderly people working under pressure not to wait for assistance but to take a risk to save time.

She also warned that farm machines, including tractors, were much more powerful than they were 20 years ago and she said under 18-year-olds should not be driving such machines.

Speakers at yesterday's function noted that IFA president John Dillon could not be present because he is back in hospital undergoing further treatment following an accident on his farm. Mr Dillon had been using a quad bike to herd cattle when he sustained serious leg injuries.

Sligo IFA chairwoman Teresa Gilligan said it was important to send out the message that a farmyard was not a playground. She said women played a key role on farms in ensuring that children were kept away from machines especially during busy periods such as silage-making.

The HSA pointed out there have been 20 deaths in the workplace so far this year, including the five on farms. This does not include the recent double drowning tragedy in Co Clare in which a father and son died. The incident is presently under investigation.

Fewer than 30 per cent of farmers have completed a farm safety self-assessment document.While this is up from just 8 per cent a few years ago, Mr Killeen said the figure was worrying.

He said the new Health, Safety and Welfare in the Workplace Act would include measures to make the completion of the documents easier for farmers.

Farm Safety Week will focus on safety of the elderly and tractor maintenance. Some 90,000 farm safety brochures will be distributed and a text message alert will be sent to farmers.