Number of farm deaths doubles in 2008

The number of deaths that have occurred on farms this year is almost double that of 2007, new figures show today.

There have been 20 farm deaths reported to the Health and Safety Authority in 2008, compared to 11 last year.

The farming sector in Ireland has a poor accident record which accounts for about 30 per cent of all workplace deaths even though just six per cent of the national workforce is employed in the sector. Additionally, around 1,800 injuries are reported each year.

The figures were released to coincide with a launch of a new Farm Safety Action Plan which is aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries.

The plan outlines specific goals and actions to achieve these reductions and a range of farm organisations and state bodies with a role in farm injury and ill health prevention have given their full commitment to achieving the goals set.

"There has been a big increase in farm deaths this year and that is obviously very worrying. The new Farm Safety Action Plan is timely and has my full support. The goals set out are ambitious but I have every confidence that they will be achieved.The plan covers a period of four years from 2009 but work on it is already well underway," said Minister for Labour Affairs Billy Kelleher this morning.

"Safe farming is about protecting life and limb - I would appeal to all farmers not to take chances when it comes to the safety, health and well-being of themselves and their families," he added.

As part of the new plan, Teagasc and the Health and Safety Authority have agreed to jointly fund a Walsh Fellowship to study approaches to improving the occupational health profile of farmers with particular reference to reducing the high level of spinal injuries among farmers.

The Walsh Fellowship will be held at UCD in the School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science.