Latest news with #HSENI
Agriland
04-08-2025
- Health
- Agriland
Hseni Reminds Elder Farmers to Recognise Their Limitations
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is highlighting the key risk associated with age during this week's Farm Safety Week 2025. The Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) held an older farmer health and safety awareness day earlier this year at the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service's (NIFRS's) new Learning and Development College, Cookstown. The event - which was held in affiliation with FSP's partners such as HSENI - discussed how farmers over 65 years-of-age can be at a higher risk of injury or even fatality. The day outlined how farmers can make small changes to reduce the risk of the accidents and reinforced the message that by taking small steps, farmers can save their own or other's lives. The HSENI confirmed that over 60 farmers attended to learn about an array of topics. Professionals informed farmers on the dangers of animal handling, slurry management, machinery and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), working at heights, and occupational health. The advisers focused on matters such as dust and lung health as well as reminding farmers that agility and speed fade with age, which can often catch farmers out when animal handling. HSENI chief executive, Robert Kidd said: 'It is important that we liaise and engage with our older farmers, as health and safety is an ever-increasing issue in the farming community with new equipment, machinery and methods of farming evolving all the time. "Equally with older equipment, it is crucial to ensure it is well maintained and in safe working condition." Kidd said the event "gave us an opportunity to highlight the increased risks with age in farming, as we urged older farmers to recognise their limitations, and prioritise safety measures on their own farms." He expressed his satisfaction with the day, thanking the farmers for their feedback and stating how another event is already been planned after the success. Speaking at the launch of Farm Safety Week, Kidd highlighted how farming has the poorest safety record of any industry across the UK and Ireland. He said many farmers still think of the industry as 'more than a job, it is a way of life", and said that everyone shares the responsibility of keeping farming safe.
Agriland
04-08-2025
- General
- 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.
Belfast Telegraph
25-06-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Deeply troubling': Police investigation launched after red kite found fatally poisoned in Co Down
The legally protected bird of prey was discovered on land in the Tullymore Road area at the end of December. Subsequent testing confirmed the red kite had been killed using two highly toxic substances – the rodenticide Chloralose and the insecticide Bendiocarb – both of which pose serious risks to wildlife and humans. Red kites previously had vanished entirely from Northern Ireland due to illegal persecution 200 years ago, and were re-introduced in 2008. Superintendent Johnston McDowell, the Police Service of Northern Ireland's lead officer for Wildlife Crime and Animal Welfare, described the incident as 'deeply troubling'. 'These birds were reintroduced to Northern Ireland in 2008 after being extinct here for centuries,' he said. 'Tragically, this is not the first time we have had reports of this nature in the same area. Two ravens were also recently found dead, poisoned with similar chemicals, and it saddens me that these incredible birds are being intentionally killed.' Red kites and all birds of prey are protected under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act 2011. The discovery of yet another suspected case of targeted poisoning has prompted a joint response from multiple agencies. News Catch Up - June 25th 2025 PSNI officers, alongside the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, carried out a site visit and made enquiries with the technical support of the UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit. The force also works in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to investigate illegal use of banned or misused pesticides and poisons. Superintendent McDowell warned of the wider dangers posed by the toxic substances involved. 'The poisons used in these incidents are deadly not only to birds and wildlife, but also to humans,' he said. 'Anyone who finds a dead bird of prey, such as a red kite, and suspects it has been poisoned, shot or illegally trapped, should not touch it but contact police immediately.' He added that anyone found guilty of persecuting birds of prey could face fines of up to £5,000 per offence and custodial sentences. The Health and Safety Executive NI (HSENI), which enforces Biocidal Product Regulations in Northern Ireland, also warned that enforcement action would be taken against anyone misusing dangerous chemicals. 'Where duty-holders are found to have incorrectly used or have misused biocidal products or continue to use or store products that have been withdrawn from the market, HSENI will take appropriate enforcement action,' a spokesperson said. 'This highlights the importance of responsible use of all chemicals.' A spokesperson for DAERA added: 'The intentional poisoning of wildlife and birds is abhorrent. Supplying, storing or using a Plant Protection Product that has been banned is an offence. 'It is also an offence to use an authorised PPP in contravention of the conditions established by its authorisation and specified on the product label. If convicted, fines will apply.' As part of wider efforts to tackle such crimes, the PSNI has launched Operation Raptor – Peregrine Watch, a partnership initiative using drones to monitor bird of prey nesting sites in high-risk areas. 'Operation Raptor is a direct response to birds being targeted with very serious and dangerous substances,' Superintendent McDowell said. 'Alongside our partners, we will continue to investigate wildlife crime and bring offenders to justice.'
Agriland
27-05-2025
- Health
- Agriland
HSENI inspectors to visit food production premises
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has announced a new programme of focused advisory and inspection visits across the agri-food sector as part of its healthier workplaces campaign. David Lowe, acting principal inspector of HSENI's Agriculture and Food Group, said that inspectors will be visiting food production premises 'to help ensure business are protecting their workforce from long-term health problems'. 'Employers have a duty to make sure their workers are safe and healthy, especially when dealing with substances that can damage their lungs, including chemicals and grain or flour dust,' he said. HSENI Over the next year, HSNI inspectors will be visiting agriculture and food production premises in Northern Ireland to ensure hazardous substances are being handled properly and that appropriate safety measures are in place. 'They will focus on how employers manage hazardous substances in the workplace and comply with their legal duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (NI) Regulations 2003 (COSHH). 'They will also be looking more specifically at those substances which have been assigned a workplace exposure limit (WEL), which cause known health effects and where health surveillance may be required,' Lowe added. HSENI confirmed that there will be a mixture of announced and unannounced inspections. Duty holders are reminded that they have very specific responsibilities under COSHH, and they must ensure they are familiar with the regulations and complying with them fully. 'Occupational respiratory diseases are all too common, but they are also preventable. No one should develop ill health simply because of the job they do. 'If anyone has concerns about their lung health they should speak to their GP,' Lowe said. Occupational lung disease symptoms include a persistent cough, as well as severe difficulties in breathing, chest tightness and coughing up blood. Symptoms can often be painful and debilitating, affecting the person's way of life and in severe cases can prevent sufferers from leading a normal lifestyle. To help businesses prepare for visits, HSENI has created a checklist that outlines what inspectors will be looking for, which is available on the executive's website.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Farm workers' lives being put at risk by dangerous dust particles
The risks of working with animals and machinery on farms are well known, but agricultural workers are being reminded of another danger that is part of their everyday than 300 people a year die from work-related illnesses in Northern Ireland, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSENI).Among them are those doing jobs on farms which carry a risk of exposure to harmful dust particles, which doctors say can lead to scarring on the has teamed up with other agencies to spread awareness at this year's Balmoral Show. Johnny Tuft, a fourth generation farmer from Ballinderry in County Antrim, farms a mixed farm with beef cattle, sheep, arable and poultry units and is often exposed to dust particles. "We need to bed our livestock whether it be cattle or poultry and there's dust in the bedding," he said."We grow arable and we feed livestock with our own barley and through the whole cultivation process there's dust."When you're in the tractor there's dust, whenever we roll barley that creates a lot of dust and then feeding it too."Wearing a mask would help reduce exposure but Mr Tuft said he often did not have time to protect himself."There's times where the mask isn't beside you or you're under time pressure and it's just too easy to go and do the job without PPE [personal protective equipment]," he said."Then maybe that night you're lying in bed and you can't stop coughing". Bryan Monson, the deputy chief executive of HSENI, is using the Balmoral Show to help spread the message of lung health to farmers."There's nothing like coming to Balmoral to meet people face to face and we can give them some really useful advice, along with our other partners, about how they look after themselves," he research carried out for the organisation showed how risky farming could be for respiratory health. "For farmers unfortunately they're exposed to an awful lot of different dusts and chemicals and gases, and those can affect and damage people's lungs, and it's maybe not that well known or understood," Mr Monson said."So this year, what we're hoping to do is raise awareness of lung health and some of the simple things that people can do to protect themselves."He said reducing exposure to dust was really important."People will immediately think 'I'm putting on a dust mask', and that can be part of the solution," he said."But as well as that, working in well ventilated areas, working upwind of dusty activities, wetting down dusts before they're brushed or moved around, and possibly buying pelleted forms of feeds and chemicals rather than loose forms."All of these can reduce your dust exposure." Dr Sean Roe, a senior lecturer at Queens University Belfast's medical school, said farmers often dismissed the initial signs of a respiratory issues, which include sniffing, coughing or watery eyes. He said it was better to try to prevent a respiratory issue rather than try to cure it. "to be working from the point of view of prevention rather than cure"."Prevention is really the best way of dealing with it because in the long term, once you start to do permanent damage to the lungs, it's very hard to treat it," Dr Roe said."If you take in that dust and it stays down it can produce scar tissue in the lungs. "The problem with scar tissue is - if you've ever had a scar on the back of your hand - you'll notice that the scar tissue isn't as flexible as the skin and it's similar in the lungs that over a long period of time, it leads to what's known as pulmonary fibrosis. "Pulmonary fibrosis is a situation where the lungs become smaller and stiffer and less elastic and harder to inflate, and that can give rise to one of the problems which is known as chronic farmer's lungs." Mr Tuft said he would now think more about his respiratory health when he is working."I think now that I'm starting to know people that have had health issues, long health issues from farms maybe I need to start taking it a bit more seriously," he said."I would tend not to go to the doctor unless I'm in pain. I would nearly convince myself I am wasting the doctor's time if it's just a cough, that I'll be fine in the morning."But maybe I should be more concerned."
