THE MOST dangerous place to work is on a farm and, unfortunately, many farmers are unwilling to treat safety issues with the seriousness they deserve. The result is that, so far this year, more than half of all workplace deaths have occurred in farming, a sector that accounts for only 6 per cent of the workforce. That is a shocking and unacceptable situation.
In an attempt to tackle what appears to be a pervasive culture of wilful ignorance and woeful personal neglect, the Health and Safety Authority intensified its inspection of farms earlier this year. Improvements in safety management were found to be necessary on three out of four farms visited and half of those were dealt with informally by way of verbal advice. However, in the remaining cases, legal directives were issued to carry out improvements within a set timeframe and certain activities were stopped immediately because of the dangers involved.
Dairy farmers tend to be the worst offenders where basic safety precautions are concerned. Elderly men are the most likely to offend. In spite of what is generally believed – that harvest time is the most dangerous – most lives are lost in the first three months of the year. Almost half of all fatal incidents involve tractors and machinery, where unguarded power shafts represent a particular threat. If proper precautions were taken in this area alone, many lives would be saved and thousands of debilitating injuries prevented. One in seven deaths are caused by livestock. And slurry pits pose a particular danger to children.
As might be expected, farming organisations are seriously concerned by the high fatality rate and they have urged their members to prioritise the health and safety aspects of farming. But more needs to be done. The experience of this and other countries, where safety issues are concerned, has been that while education and inspections contribute to a safer environment, it is enforcement that really counts. Ten years ago, safety standards were equally lax within the construction industry. But inspections and prosecutions changed all that. A similar pattern was followed in terms of Garda enforcement, drink-driving and road deaths.
Casual negligence on the farm that puts life and health in danger should not be tolerated. A minority of farmers will not take safety issues seriously until the State itself does so and imposes hefty penalties for wilful negligence. A softly, softly approach has not worked. It is time to get tough with incorrigible cases.