Latest news with #HealthandSafetyExecutiveforNorthernIreland
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
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.
