HSENI: 'Farming has poorest safety record of any industry'
Today (Monday, July 21), marks the first day of Farm Safety Week 2025, which is now in its thirteenth year.
HSENI, a member of the Farm Safety Partnership, said the message to the farming community has always been consistent: take extra care when working with animals, machinery, and moving vehicles.
HSENI said that farmers, workers and farming families need to prioritise looking after their own health, safety and wellbeing to be fit and continue being involved in participating in the farm business.
This year's Farm Safety Foundation objectives are:
To continue challenging and changing the attitudes to risk-taking and working safely;
Share evidence and real experiences of the past 13 years to remind audiences to take positive steps to improve their attitudes and behaviours;
To highlight the importance of wearing PPE (personal protective equipment), especially eye protection, when carrying out a variety of farming tasks;
To highlight the critical importance of safe operation of agricultural vehicles and, in particular, quad bikes;
To celebrate the Farm Safety Heroes from each of our partner countries working to drive a positive change in the industry.
Speaking at the launch of Farm Safety Week, Robert Kidd, chief executive of HSENI said: 'Farming continues to have the poorest safety record of any industry in the UK and Ireland, but we have made significant strides in raising awareness and encouraging safer practices, particularly among the younger generation.
"Nevertheless, in this thirteenth year of our Farm Safety campaign, we'll shine a light on less obvious, but equally critical, issues affecting the safety and wellbeing of those who live and work on farms."
Kidd said HSENI are proud to support the annual Farm Safety Week campaign.
"Farming is more than a job, it is a way of life so keeping it safe is a responsibility we all share.
"Whether new to the industry or farming for years, we all have a role to play in improving the safety record within the farming community.
"There is no acceptable level of serious injuries or fatalities in farming, as each incident affects a family, a farm business and a local community," he added.
As part of the new HSENI occupational health campaign, the authority will be highlighting key areas of concern in farming such as agricultural dust; skin cancer through over exposure to UV rays, and musculoskeletal disorders.
The Farm Safety Partnership also includes the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU), NFU Mutual (NFUM), the Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster (YFCU), the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF), the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA) and Rural Support.
The partnership is tasked with assisting Northern Ireland's farming community to work safely and tackle the problem of work-related fatalities and injuries on farms.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Agriland
04-08-2025
- Agriland
HSENI: 'Farming has poorest safety record of any industry'
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has given its full support to the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF) in its efforts to change farming's poor safety record. Today (Monday, July 21), marks the first day of Farm Safety Week 2025, which is now in its thirteenth year. HSENI, a member of the Farm Safety Partnership, said the message to the farming community has always been consistent: take extra care when working with animals, machinery, and moving vehicles. HSENI said that farmers, workers and farming families need to prioritise looking after their own health, safety and wellbeing to be fit and continue being involved in participating in the farm business. This year's Farm Safety Foundation objectives are: To continue challenging and changing the attitudes to risk-taking and working safely; Share evidence and real experiences of the past 13 years to remind audiences to take positive steps to improve their attitudes and behaviours; To highlight the importance of wearing PPE (personal protective equipment), especially eye protection, when carrying out a variety of farming tasks; To highlight the critical importance of safe operation of agricultural vehicles and, in particular, quad bikes; To celebrate the Farm Safety Heroes from each of our partner countries working to drive a positive change in the industry. Speaking at the launch of Farm Safety Week, Robert Kidd, chief executive of HSENI said: 'Farming continues to have the poorest safety record of any industry in the UK and Ireland, but we have made significant strides in raising awareness and encouraging safer practices, particularly among the younger generation. "Nevertheless, in this thirteenth year of our Farm Safety campaign, we'll shine a light on less obvious, but equally critical, issues affecting the safety and wellbeing of those who live and work on farms." Kidd said HSENI are proud to support the annual Farm Safety Week campaign. "Farming is more than a job, it is a way of life so keeping it safe is a responsibility we all share. "Whether new to the industry or farming for years, we all have a role to play in improving the safety record within the farming community. "There is no acceptable level of serious injuries or fatalities in farming, as each incident affects a family, a farm business and a local community," he added. As part of the new HSENI occupational health campaign, the authority will be highlighting key areas of concern in farming such as agricultural dust; skin cancer through over exposure to UV rays, and musculoskeletal disorders. The Farm Safety Partnership also includes the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU), NFU Mutual (NFUM), the Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster (YFCU), the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF), the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA) and Rural Support. The partnership is tasked with assisting Northern Ireland's farming community to work safely and tackle the problem of work-related fatalities and injuries on farms.
Agriland
31-07-2025
- Agriland
Opinion: Putting a clear focus on farm safety
As Farm Safety Week 2025 begins, it is imperative for us all to consider how everyone working within agriculture can be kept safe at all times. The summer holiday season is now with us, which is always a busy time on farms. For one thing, there tends to be more people around the place, with many older family members off work and the children not at school. The silage and harvest seasons are in full swing. This means there will be lots of large machinery working in both fields and farm yards. Such activity is a magnet for young children, who want to get an up-close view of everything going on. However, all of this comes with immense health and safety implications. The reality is that with more people on the scene and everyone wanting to help out, the risk of a serious accident taking place becomes all the greater. Preventing accidents requires those involved in any farm-related activity taking that little bit of extra time to work through all the permutations with regard to what could and could not happen. No job is that urgent that an extra minute or two's preparation would not help the project to be completed more efficiently and safely, from everyone's point of view. All the regulations in the world will not improve farm safety levels on local farms. Mind you, any farmer found to be breaching any health and safety regulations must be dealt with vigorously by all the relevant adjudicating bodies. What is really required, though, is a concerted effort on the part of those involved within the farming industry to put their safety and the safety of others first at all times. Children are particularly vulnerable when it comes to farm accidents. They tend to get into places where they should not because they are young and full of life. So, it is up to parents to make sure that the next generation of farmers are taught from the get-go that farms are inherently dangerous places and that nothing can be taken for granted – ever. Farm machinery continues to get bigger. Moreover, the speed that modern tractors and other powered vehicles can now achieve around farm yards and enclosed spaces is frightening. It has gotten to the stage where people should always look twice before entering any farm building just to make sure that they are not about to encounter some very large piece of shiny machinery coming towards them at break-neck speed.
Agriland
31-07-2025
- Agriland
UFU: Farming 'should never come at the cost of a life'
The Ulster Farmers' Union is reminding farmers to put safety first as Farm Safety Week 2025 kicks off today (Monday July 21). The UFU said farm safety should be prioritised over deadlines, livestock, and any other farm tasks. The union stated that despite 13 years of campaigning on farm safety, farming is still one of the most dangerous industries across the UK and Ireland. The Farm Safety Week campaign brings over 400 farming and rural organisations together across the UK and Ireland in a bid to raise awareness and encourage farmers to work safely. The initiative is led by the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) in the UK and by the Irish Farmers' Association in the Republic of Ireland. UFU deputy president John McLenaghan stated that the union is proud to support Farm Safety Week. However, McLenaghan added: 'It's so important to stress that we need much more than just awareness - action from our farmers is critical and potentially lifesaving. "One split second is all it takes for a farm accident to change a life forever, and tragically, many could have been prevented." The UFU deputy president reminded farmers to stop and think, not letting the constant pressure persuade them to cut corners or rush through tasks. McLenaghan said: 'We all know the saying: 'Farming is more than a job, it's a way of life', but it should never come at the cost of a life." Farm Safety Foundation manager, Stephanie Berkeley, said: 'Over the years, we have seen the attitudes and behaviours around farm safety changing, but the pace of change is slow." Berkeley said that the change is taking place too slowly for farmers struggling with their health or injuries, as well as for families who have lost loved ones in the industry. Berkeley stated: "This year's campaign offers an opportunity for a reset in the way we approach farm safety and risk-taking. "Each of us can improve how we work on the farm, but we also have a responsibility not to tolerate poor safety behaviours in others." "We cannot rely on luck when going about our daily tasks – luck has a habit of running out.' UFU deputy president McLenaghan added: "Whether you're just starting out or have been farming for generations, we all have a responsibility to change the culture and improve safety on our farms.'
