Farm Safety a Priority Says O’Neill
Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has met with representatives from Farmers For Action to discuss the increasing number of fatalities on farms.
Following the meeting the Minister said: “The number of serious accidents and deaths on farms across the north has unfortunately risen in recent years. In my discussions with Farmers for Action, we considered a range of issues relating to this and ways we can work together to improve safety on farms.”
The Minister continued: “This is a particularly busy period on farms and with the recent wet weather there is evermore pressure to get field jobs completed during a small window of opportunity. However, safety must be a priority on every farm and it is vital that the farmer, and all of those working and living on the farm, take every precaution, every day of the week to ensure that they are safe.”
Highlighting the need for close co-operation in reducing farm deaths and injuries, the Minister added: “My Department, Health and Safety Executive (an agency of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment) and the UFU have recently launched the Farm Safety Partnership which aims to highlight the dangers and provide practical assistance to farmers to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on their farms. I hope that through working in partnership we can reduce the number of lives lost in the agricultural sector.”
