Union plays it's part raising awareness in Farm Safety Week

The UFU along with other organisations from the farming sector came together this week in a bid to highlight the importance of farm safety.

‘Farm Safety Week’ is an awareness raising campaign supported by the Farm Safety Foundation, Farm Safety Partnerships, the Health & Safety Executive, Health & Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and Health & Safety Authority, Ireland who all once again joined forces to drive the initiative in its sixth year.

This year the campaign has taken a slightly different approach. More than ever, the agricultural industry is aware of the issue of farm safety however, this year, rather than focusing on agriculture’s poor safety record and stories of things going wrong, Farm Safety Week 2018 focused on when things go right, sharing good practice and demonstrating what ‘good’ looks like.

The campaign continued to support child safety on farms, the physical and mental wellbeing of the industry by increasing understanding of how to support those dealing with mental health issues in the industry, hence this year’s strapline – ‘It’s Your Health. Your Safety. Your Choice.’

President of the UFU, Ivor Ferguson explained: “Agriculture is a critical part of our economy. But every year HSENI reports that agriculture has the poorest safety record of any occupation in Northern Ireland. This is made even more tragic by the fact that the deaths and injuries are avoidable. The precautions to prevent people being killed and maimed on farms are well known. What farmers must do now is turn that awareness into action to keep themselves and their families safe.

“Farm Safety Week provides an opportunity for all farmers, young and old, to stop and take stock of safety on their farm. Safety has to be a priority on any job – big or small – as it only takes a split second or a moment’s carelessness for a very serious, and potentially fatal, incident to happen.”

The UFU would encourage farmers and their families to visit: www.hseni.gov.uk for more information on farm safety and for full round up of press and case studies Farm Safety Week 2018.