The safety of children on farms was at the top of the agenda at today’s launch of Farm Safety Action Week.
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Mr Joe Walsh
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The Health and Safety Authority campaign, designed to raise awareness and promote preventative action by farmers against accidents, highlighted the number of deaths taking place on average every year.
Last year 24 people died in farmyard accidents. Seven of those were children.
Speaking at the opening of the campaign, Minister for Agriculture, Mr Joe Walsh, said last year’s death toll was an "unacceptably high" statistic.
"These frightening statistics speak for themselves and behind these figures lie terrible human tragedy and unimaginable suffering," he said.
"It is imperative that all farmers acknowledge that farming is a hazardous occupation and one that carries specific risks to themselves, their workers and their families. All necessary steps to minimise the risks must be taken."
Minister Walsh said accidents involving the machinery on tillage farms and hazards such as uncovered slurry tanks on livestock farms, were reoccurring every year. He called on farmers to implement good management at their farms and begin by using the weekly Safety Statement procedure already in place.
"I would encourage all farmers during this week to focus on farm safety. Simple things such as placing warning signs, the provision of first aid boxes and emergency telephone numbers at several locations around the farm cost little and may mean a lot," he said.
"Unfortunately, too many farmers rely on good luck rather than good management to prevent accidents."
ICMSA president, Mr Pat O’Rourke said all farmers had an individual responsibility to prevent accidents on their farms.
He said it was particularly important to eliminate danger to children of all ages on farms and said the surest way of achieving this was to keep children out of farmyards altogether.
"This week, farmers should point out the dangers to children around farms and should set down guidelines for their children as part of a Health and Safety Plan for their farms. I am convinced that we all need constant reminding of the dangers on farms and the need to take determined action – particularly with regard to children and young people," said Mr O’Rourke.