Lantra has launched a free mid-term farm safety course aimed at ensuring the safety of both budding young farmers and those visiting farms who may not be familiar with the environment.
With the arrival of the mid-term holidays, Lantra has introduced its Child Safety on Farms Course, to ensure parents are aware of the inherent dangers on farms.
The course covers children on the farm and the law; children and tractors; children and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs); and children and falls.
It also covers other issues including child safety around equipment, and harmful substances, and the importance of having a farm safety checklist.
On completion of the course, participants can download their free Lantra Child Safety on Farms Course certificate.
Paula Smyth, director of Lantra Ireland, said: “Farms can be wonderful places for children to grow up, but farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK and Ireland, and it’s the only high-risk industry that deals with the presence of children.
“With the school holidays, it’s important to think about where your child will be during this break, have your plans in place, and help safeguard their safety.
“This free short course will give you an insight into various hazards and steps to take to avoid these.”
Farm fatalites
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has stated that the farming sector is still “over-represented” in its fatality figures, accounting for almost a third of workplace deaths last year.
The HSA’s Annual Review of Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities 2020-2021 published today (Monday, October 24), shows that 11 of the 38 work-related fatal incidents in 2021 were in the farming and forestry sector.
10 deaths occurred as a result of incidents on farms, while there was one fatality related to forestry.
The HSA noted that five of these victims were aged 65 years and older, which is down from 12 deaths in this age group in 2020.
The causes of the fatalities included falls from height, loss of control of vehicles and animal-related incidents.