Latest news with #FarmSafe
Agriland
31-07-2025
- General
- Agriland
Watch Farm Safe Farm Well Keeping Children Safe on the Farm
In the first instalment of Agriland Media's new series, Farm Safe, Farm Well, we discuss how to keep children safe while on the farm. The Farm Safe Farm Well series, produced by Agriland Media in conjunction with AXA Insurance, is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). Over the coming months, the series, which includes articles, videos and podcasts, will focus on different themes related to farm safety and wellbeing. As the summer holidays are in full swing, it is more important than ever to ensure that children are kept safe while on the farm. Although many children like to help on the farm, it is important for everyone to remember that farms are not playgrounds and that children must be carefully supervised. According to data from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) children and young people accounted for 9% of all fatalities on Irish farms between 2014 and 2013. 84% of the fatal accidents to children on farms in the period involved the use of tractors and machinery. Alma Jordan lives in Julianstown in Co. Meath with her husband Mark and son, Eamon where they run a tillage, cattle and horse enterprise. In response to a spike in farm deaths in 2014, which included five children, Alma wrote a series of story books for children on the theme of farm safety. She also founded AgriKids, a farm safety educational platform specifically for children, which provides tools, resources and learning aids for teachers to use in the classroom. Over the past decade, 80,000 children have engaged with the AgriKids programme. In 2020, AgriKids launched the 'Farm Safety Roadshow', a specially equipped truck which travels to shows around the country, offering a "one stop shop" of farm safety resources for children of all ages. "My ethos is to engage, to educate, but to empower our children to become our farm safety ambassadors," Alma told Agriland. Alma said she is "not an advocate for keeping our children off the farm" as "it's an incredible place to learn". However, she said that young people "need to appreciate the fact that they are coming into the most hazardous of workplaces". "It's really about making sure that we're exposing them to jobs that are age appropriate, that's within their ability and their competency levels. "We find that when we have animals they always need to be fed, there's always a yard that needs to be swept, a shed that needs to be mucked out. There's always work that needs to be done with the animals. "When they get that little bit older, hitting 14, 15 and upwards, then we can expose them to the life of driving and handling farm machinery," she said. Alma Jordan AgriKids Alma stressed the importance of children being taught the meaning of the signs they see on farms. During the summer months, farms may see an increase in visits from family and friends who may not be from a farming background. "That's an ideal opportunity to remind your children that there may be people coming to the farm that aren't used to farm life. So reinstill the message again when is it safe to go and when do you have to say no," Alma said. The AgriKids founder said that there are things we can all do to make farms a safer place for everyone and that the farmer should "lead by example". "This doesn't have to be rocket science. A lot of the area around farm safety is very specific to your own farm. "Have a look around the type of farm that you have, identify where the hazards are and use it as an opportunity to help educate, teach and empower your own children around the areas that they need to watch out for on a farm, but most importantly, explain why," Alma said. The HSA reminded farmers that children between the ages of 7 and 16 may ride on a tractor provided the tractor is fitted with a properly designed and fitted passenger seat (with seat belts) inside a safety cab or frame. The authority added that "under no circumstances" should a child under 7 years of age be carried inside the cab of a tractor, regardless of whether a passenger seat is provided or not. Only children over 14 should be allowed to drive a tractor or self-propelled vehicle, in line with legal requirements The HSA said that a young person aged 14 or over should only be permitted to drive a tractor or self-propelled machine on the farm, if: They have attended a formal training course run by a competent training provider; They are closely supervised by a responsible adult; They have the ability to operate the controls with ease; All the controls are conveniently accessible for safe operation by the operator when seated in the driver's seat; The controls which operate the power take off (PTO) devices, hydraulic devices and engine cut-off are clearly marked to show the effect of their operation; The tractor is maintained so that it is safe for them to operate; The ground over which the tractor is driven is free from hazards such as steep slopes or excavations, river banks, lake or pond edges, deep ditches and similar areas You can find more information on keeping children safe on your farm on the HSA website by clicking here.
Agriland
15-07-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Agriland to launch multimedia campaign on farm safety with DAFM
Enjoy listening to podcasts? Love watching videos of farmers? Interested in staying up to date with news articles? Well, Agriland Media is at the forefront of a new farm safety campaign which incorporates all of the above. We have partnered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and AXA Insurance for a major state-backed information and awareness campaign on farm safety. The 'Farm Safe, Farm Well' series aims to reduce the number of farm-related deaths and injuries across this country, with statistics from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) showing that working in agriculture is consistently the most dangerous job in Ireland. Over the course of the next six months, Agriland will travel the length and breadth of the country speaking to survivors of farm accidents, their families and the organisations that support them. We will broadcast and publish a series of videos, podcasts and articles with testimonials, interviews and 'straight-talking' information that might make you think twice about undertaking a job around the farm. Multimedia campaign At Agriland Media, we understand how busy and demanding working in agriculture can be and it's the driver behind our goal to always bring you news and information in the most accessible way. The topics which will be covered throughout the 'Farm Safe, Farm Well' series in 2025 include: Protecting children around the farm; Livestock safety; Working with machinery; Mental health and farming; Farm accident support services; Quad safety; Safety during autumn calving season; Staying safe around slurry. Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety, Michael Healy-Rae will be among those who contribute to the series as we speak to him on-farm in Co. Kerry. Managing director of Agriland Media, Cormac Farrelly said: 'This campaign has never been more relevant and important and Agriland is proud to contribute to a campaign which, we hope, will result in less deaths and injuries in agriculture. 'I have small children myself and they love being out on the farm with me as I'm sure many small children across the country do too, so we're particularly eager to highlight the risks to ensure every child stays safe. 'It's a great endorsement of how important this effort is having the support of AXA Insurance and DAFM behind us and we look forward to sharing the stories of farm safety over the coming months.'
