Press Room

With April designated as 'Farm Safety Month' this year, Macra national president, Colm Markey, has pointed out that the level of serious accidents on farms is still far too high and that it was vital that farmers were vigilant in the implementation of safety measures in order to prevent lives being put at risk.

He also said that all farmers should have a farm safety statement and update it on a regular basis.

'In 2005, 18 lives were lost on Ireland's farmyards and already this year there have been 4 fatalities in the agricultural sector. This is unacceptable and the onus is on farmers to practise safe farming in order to prevent lives being lost,' he said.

He also reminded farmers that the HSA would be conducting 500 safety inspections of farms across the country during the month of April and advised farmers to get their houses in order with regards to farm safety issues as soon as possible.

The young farmer leader said that Macra na Feirme was conscious of the importance of raising awareness of safe farm procedures and pointed out that competitions like the FBD / Macra na Feirme Farmskills competition run annually by the organisation emphasised safety in the workplace by awarding a special Safety Award.

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