Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue highlighted the need to protect farmers and farm workers by implementing a culture of farm safety practices into everyday work life at the IFA Farm Safety event at the Porter family farm in Co Donegal.
This is part of a series of events organised by IFA as part of Farm Safety Week to shine a spotlight on farm safety and encourage farmers to join the challenge to make one change to make their farm a safer
place to work and live.
Speaking at an IFA Farm Safety event in Carrigans, the Minister said “Farming is the most dangerous occupation in terms of fatalities in the workplace, with children and the elderly particularly. It is clear
that attitudes and behaviours need to change and unsafe practices must become socially unacceptable.
“Many fatal and non-fatal incidents can be prevented by simple changes in behaviour and practices. Almost half of farm fatalities involve vehicles and machinery. PTO guards are inexpensive and shouldn’t cost
an arm or a leg, never mind a life.”
The Minister added: “Together with Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety, Martin Heydon, T.D., we are implementing a series of initiatives in 2022 through dedicated funding of €2.25m that was allocated to farm safety in Budget 2022.
“These initiatives promote improved farm safety practices and risk awareness and encourage behavioural change around farm safety, while also supporting those who have been impacted by fatal and non-fatal
incidents.
“Changing our attitudes and behaviours can have a major effect on improving farm safety, health and wellbeing. We need to think farm safety as we go about our farm work and always err on the side of
safety.”
2022 marks the tenth annual Farm Safety Week, a collaborative campaign, initiated by the Farm Safety Foundation in the UK and led by the IFA in Ireland. It brings together farming organisations from
Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England on the topic of farm safety.
Farm Safety Week is an annual event in the IFA calendar. Vehicles and machinery account for 50% of farm deaths, with the elderly and children at increased risk. Prevention, training, maintenance and safe
work practices are essential to good working practice.
IFA Farm Family & Social Affairs Chair Alice Doyle said the aim of this year’s Farm Safety Week is to urge farmers to make a change now, to protect their families from life-changing and life-ending incidents
by taking steps to create safer working environments.
“All too often we put tasks on the long finger and can increase the risk of accident and even death. The message for this year’s campaign is: Let’s Make a Change Now”.
“The research shows that there is a notable increase in farm fatalities in July, this Farm Safety Week let’s buck the trend and aim to reduce the number of accidents on farms and bring about a change in
culture that makes unsafe practices socially unacceptable.”
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last John Callaghan, Hugh Callaghan and Oran Doherty. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Tom Lynch, Charlie Lynch, Peter Lynch, Andrew McShea, Ethan Carvill, Donegal Monaghan Executive and John O’Hanlon. Ulster/North Leinster Senior Regional Executive. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Ciaran Rudden, Justin Porter, Jason Coll and Luke Porter. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Victoria Boyd, Doengal Farm Families Represenative, Caroline Redmond, Embrace Farm and Ethan Carvill, Donegal Monaghan Executive. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Kathryn McAtee, Brendan McLaughlin, Donegal Chairman, and Alice Doyle, National Farm Families Chairperson. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Eileen McClintonc, Robin Crockett and Elain Crockett. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Frank Brady, Ulster North Leinster Chairman, Michael McHugh and James Strain. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Biran Gillespie, Derek Black and William Mongile. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Brendan McLauhglin, lobbying Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue re emission targets with Andrew McShea, Frank Brady, Ulster North Leinster Chairman, Peter Lynch and Ethan Carvill, Donegal Monaghan Executive. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Brendan McLauhglin, lobbying Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue re emission targets. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Alice Doyle, National Farm Families Chairperson, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Victoria Boyd, Donegal Farm Families Represenative. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Victoria Boyd, Garda, Anne Marie McGrath, Garda,Finatan Smith and Brendan McLaughlin. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Fergus Kelly, Hugh Callaghan and Erick McGuckin. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Victoria Boyd, Donegal IFA Farm Families Represenative. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Shannon Porter wpaing about farm accidents. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Mervyn Waters, speaking with Gary Fisher about teh dangers of slurry fumes. Photo -Clive Wasson
IFA – Farm Safety Week 2022 – Let’s Make a Change Now – pictured at the Donegal IFA Farm Safety Event on porters farm on Wednesday last Srg. Paul Wallce. Photo -Clive Wasson
