Spotlight falls on safety on farms this summer

THIS week the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) will join with agricultural stakeholders from across the United Kingdom to emphasise the importance of safe working practices on farms.

The amplification of safety messaging comes as the annual Farm Safety Week campaign makes its return from 20-24 July. Spearheaded by the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) it aims to highlight the main challenges to addressing farming’s persistently poor safety record.

Over the past 10 years (2015-2025) there have been 57 fatal accidents recorded on NI farms, according to statistics from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI). The main causes of injury and fatality remain linked to slurry, animals, falls and equipment.

Commenting Colin Smith, LMC Chief Executive said, “Farming continues to rank amongst one of the most dangerous professions that any person can aspire to undertake. Farm Safety Week coincides with one of the busiest seasons of the farming year when a lot of work is undertaken on the land often against the backdrop of changeable weather conditions bringing an element of time pressure.

“By its nature the summer season work brings an increased presence of people and machinery to the farmyard. This serves as a timely reminder of the importance of identifying potential hazards and taking practical and timely steps to prevent accidents happening.

“This year Farm Safety Week places a focus on the people working on farms. Behind each farm is a story and this annual event raises awareness of the impacts of farm accidents on the industry and community and promotes the importance of farming safely. No matter what pressures farm work may bring, nothing will present as big a challenge to a farm business as a serious injury, or a fatal accident.”

Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, the charity leading the campaign said, “This campaign is about more than statistics – it’s about people and helping them understand the real human impact of farm accidents and encouraging safer behaviours so our farms become safer places for everyone who lives, works or visits them.”

Concluding Colin said, “Over recent years much positive change has been initiated within the industry, particularly through the work of the Farm Safety Partnership of which LMC is an Affiliate Member, but with a persistently poor safety record, it is evident that more must be done.

“The bottom line is that safety is the responsibility of all who enter the farmyard. We can all take a moment to assess a job before starting, but no one can turn back time after a major injury or fatality has occurred. There is no room for complacency when it comes to farm safety. I would urge all farm workers and those coming on to farms to undertake work with large and heavy machinery to stop, think about safety and take all precautions necessary.”