IFA President Urges Farmers to Refocus on Safety

Speaking in advance of a National Farm Safety Conference taking place today in Kilkenny, IFA President Eddie Downey has reiterated the IFA message to ‘Think Safety, Farm Safely’ every day.

The IFA President, who is chairing a session at the HSA National Farm Safety Conference, said the number of farm fatalities so far this year has been truly shocking, and he urged all farm families to refocus their efforts on safety on the farm.

“Tragically, the number of lives lost to farm accidents so far this year is more than all of 2013. The fact is farming is one of the most dangerous occupations there is, so safety has to be a top priority at all times. Everybody on the farm – no matter how experienced – has to realise the dangers that exist, be vigilant, and take extra time to consider risks and consequences.”

“Given the nature of farm work and the farming environment, safety has to be a fundamentally important aspect of a farmers’ job. We need to refocus and build safety into everything that we do on the farm. This requires a change in mindset, but safety needs to be a top priority on every farm and for every farm family.”

The IFA has a dedicated ‘Farm Safety’ section on its website, which provides farm safety videos, booklets, links and information. This will complement a range of initiatives, including messages in the IFA calendar, text alerts to our members and regular updates through our County Executive network.