The latest Farm Safety Partnership Action Plan for Northern Ireland has been officially launched today (Monday, October 7).
The three-year plan, aimed at making farms safer, was launched at an event hosted by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) at the College of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus in Antrim.
The plan sets out a series of interventions including promoting best practice; education; engagement with children, young people, and older farmers; promoting sustainable safe farming practices; and actions where serious failures are identified.
Farm safety
The Farm Safety Partnership (FSP), established in 2012, aims to improve safety standards on local farms to reduce fatalities, major injuries, and health across the sector.
Membership includes HSENI, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), National Farmers’ Union Mutual (NFUM), Young Farmers’ Club of Ulster (YFCU), Farm Safety Foundation (FSF), and Rural Support (RS).
Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir and Minister for the Economy Conor Murphy have both endorsed the new plan.
Addressing the audience at the launch of the action plan, Minister Muir said that “there are still avoidable deaths occurring on farms in Northern Ireland”.
“Accidents can happen, even in the most experienced hands and are a reminder of the risks faced by those working on farms.
“Every serious injury and fatality is a tragedy and brings devastating consequences to the front door of the farmhouse.
“This plan reinforces the need to improve safety on our family farms to ensure the farm is a safe environment for all family members and employees,” he said.
Action plan
Economy Minister, Conor Murphy added that the agriculture sector contributes significantly to the economy of Northern Ireland and stressed the importance of farm safety.
“As an industry you are critical to our economic success, but to your colleagues, families, and friends you mean so much more.
“Many important strides have been made over the years, with the rate of fatal incidents slowly decreasing.
“However, they continue to happen, and one life lost in a farming accident, is one life too many,” he said.
“I’m pleased therefore to see the great work of the Farm Safety Partnership continuing with this new three-year plan.
“It commits to working towards a target of zero fatalities, to educating and advising the farming community, and to giving them the tools they need to keep themselves safe, as well as their employees, and their families.
“Keeping safe does not have to be complicated or costly. Small steps save lives,” Minister Murphy added.
