Farmers can be directly prosecuted for a series of farm safety issues under sweeping new powers available to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). The HSA has confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that, from January 2015, farmers can be prosecuted in court and not just warned or fined for three specific alleged misdemeanours.

Prosecutions can be brought against farmers for:

  • Carrying a child under the age of seven in the cab of a tractor or any agricultural machine.
  • Should any part of a PTO shaft be found to be uncovered; and
  • If any access point to a slurry pit is uncovered.

    • The three changes are significant and are the first major attempt to buck the trend after a particularly bad year for farm safety.

    Twenty four deaths have occurred on Irish farms this year and almost three quarters have been as a result of vehicles and machinery. Three children have died so far in 2014.

    Pat Griffin, senior inspector with the HSA, said the new powers are in place to reduce the number of fatalities on Irish farms. Griffin described 2014 as a “black year”.

    “We (the HSA) are in operation for 25 years. Our role has been promoting and ensuring safety in workplaces and farms in the country. Although good things are happening, it’s clear that for some it’s not working,” Griffin said.

    “Awareness levels (of farm safety) are excellent. Our Farm Safety Partnership has worked in delivering advice and information. We estimate that we have 60% compliance in the farm safety survey and about 20% compliance in our safety courses. We are very happy with that as it’s not a mandatory programme.

    “We are here to work with farmers, to advise and to help but we are now moving to implement new changes. We will continue to offer this advice and help but we cannot keep reading reports of people getting crushed by machinery, killed by animals or wrapped around PTO shafts year after year. We are hopeful that the three target areas will reduce farm injuries and deaths,” he said.

    Worrying statistics

    Despite the levels of awareness among farmers, Griffin highlighted some worrying statistics.

    “About 30% to 40% of all PTO shafts used here have a risk of causing serious injury or even death. Each and every day, farmers are putting their lives at risk by taking these needless risks,” Griffin said.

    “The main thing to remember is that compliant farmers have absolutely nothing to fear about these new changes,” he concluded.

    Maura Canning, IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs chairwoman, has reacted strongly to the HSA’s decision: “Consistently research has shown the best way to improve farm safety is to change behavioural habits of farmers through education and training. Threatening prosecution does not reduce farm accidents or fatalities.”