Farming remains Ireland's most dangerous occupation

FORTY-NINE people, including nine children, have been killed on Irish farms since January 2014. Of these fatalities, seven people, including two children, lost their lives on farms in the west of Ireland (counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon) during this two-year period.

In 2014, the number of farm fatalities almost doubled, with a total number of 30 deaths compared with 16 deaths in 2013.

This shocking number of fatalities led to widespread farm safety awareness campaigns throughout the country. The number of farm-related fatalities in 2015 was 18, representing a 40% reduction on the previous year’s figures.

While a 40% reduction is certainly an improvement, the rate of farm fatalities and accidents in Ireland is still too high and represented 33% of the the total number of work-related fatalities in Ireland in 2015.

The National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) is hosting a farm safety seminar in the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, on February 17. The aim of the seminar is to raise farm safety awareness among as many in the farming community as possible and help reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on Irish farms.

The panel of speakers includes Maura Canning, IFA; Pauric Corrigan, NISO; Pat Griffin, Health & Safety Authority; Geraldine Hynes, Teagasc; Professor Michael J. Hynes, NUI Galway; Ciarán Roche, FBD; and Cathal Smith, Apex Fire Ltd.

The seminar will cover a wide range of farm safety issues, including chemicals safety, fire safety on farms, risk assessments and preparing a safety statement, insurance, and the shocking reality of farm accidents.

For further information and bookings, contact the NISO office on (01) 4659760, email info@niso.ie, or visit niso.ie under events.