Farmers across Galway are being encouraged to review their Farm Risk Assessment, as Farm Safety Week gets underway.
So far this year there have been 12 fatal farm accidents on Irish farms.
These 12 fatal farm accidents account for over 40% of all fatal work accidents so far in 2019, despite the fact that farming accounts for less than 6% of the workforce.
Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon encouraged farmers to review their Farm Risk Assessment following Galway-based farm safety expert Peter Gohery’s call for increased safety training on farms from an earlier age.
Minister Cannon said that he agrees with Peter’s view that this training is required both in the handling of all kinds of agricultural machinery and in dealing with livestock.
“These are important perspectives as we mark this week`s focus on Farm Safety and the week`s aim, in addition to the recent HSA Farm Safety campaign at the end of April which focused on the safe use of tractors and machinery, are very important in increasing awareness of the alarming number of farm accidents that occur each year.
“Farms are both work places and family homes and it is important that the entire family is alert to the risks that exist on farms.
“One of the first steps in helping to achieve a safe farm is for farmers to adhere to the Farm Safety Code of practice and to review their Farm Risk Assessment which I encourage all members of the agricultural community to do this week,” said the Fine Gael TD.
