Investigations are underway following the death of a man in his 70s in a farm incident in Co. Offaly.
Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to the fatal workplace accident at a premises in Garryhinch, Co. Offaly yesterday afternoon (Thursday, July 4).
The man was pronounced deceased at the scene. His body was removed from the scene to the morgue in Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, where a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is aware of this incident and has launched an investigation.
A file will be prepared for the Coroner’s Court. No further details are available at this time.
Farm safety
Fatalities on farms account for nearly half of all fatal workplace incidents in Ireland. However, farmers only represent 6% of the workforce.
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in Ireland with an average of 20 fatal incidents on farms every year, according to DAFM.
An open call has been launched this week by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), for new projects relating to farm safety, health and wellbeing.
A total of €850,000 has been allocated under the farm safety budget for the projects.
Successful proposals under the call should cover one or more of the following themes: Farm safety; Farmers physical health; and farmers mental health and wellbeing.
Applications should be made prior to the closing date on Wednesday, August 7.
Farm incident
Separately, a farmer has been fined for health and safety offences over a farm death more than two and a half years ago.
An expert report commissioned by the HSA on what went wrong on the farm found that a wall collapsed due to inadequate strength between the wall and its foundations.
The report concluded that the works were unsafe and that the excavation should not have been started until further measures were in place.