21/07/2014

IFA Urges Farm Safety

The Irish Farmers' Association is asking rural communities across Ireland to set time aside to review safety on farms as part of National Farm Safety Awareness Day.

Fourteen lives have already been lost to farm accidents so far this year, indicating a 70% increase on this time last year, the IFA said.

IFA President Eddie Downey said: "Being tired, distracted and stressed is often a reality on busy farms and every effort must be made to avoid shortcuts. At the peak of this busy summer season on farms, safety must come first. We want farmers to ‘Think Farm Safety’ on July 21 and to continue to ‘Think Farm Safety’ every day after that, because taking even one risk is taking one risk too many."

IFA Farm Family Committee Chair Maura Canning added: "We all know that farms are dangerous workplaces, but when working long hours in difficult conditions, that awareness can slip to the back of the mind. By putting the spotlight on farm safety on July 21st we hope to remind farmers and their families to take time to think safety and farm safely every day."

(IT/CD)

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