Education and Awareness Key to Reducing Farm Accidents

The Chairwoman of the IFA Farm Family Committee Margaret Healy said any analysis of accidents on farms shows clearly that increased awareness of health and safety by ongoing education and promotion throughout the year is the most effective way of reducing farm accidents.

She said IFA would be launching a major nationwide campaign later this month to highlight farm safety and the initiative would be promoted to the Association’s 87,000 members through its network of 947 branches and County Executives.

Margaret Healy said the use of awareness and promotion to keep safety to the forefront in the minds of all farm families, rather than inspection and enforcement, would be far more effective method to improve our safety record and bring about a real change in culture.

Concluding, Margaret Healy said IFA would continue to work closely with the Health and Safety Authority to improve safety on farms.