As this year’s Farm Safety Week draws to a close, the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) has urged farmers to embrace new safety technologies.
FSP outlined that technological advances mean autonomous electric tractors, large spraying drones, and on-vehicle cameras that can monitor danger areas around Power Take Off (PTO) drives will soon be commonplace on farms.
Camilla Mackey, head of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) Agri-Food Team and FSP member said:
“The evolution of farm safety equipment is set to help make our farms much safer.
“The Farm Safety Partnership will continue to champion evolving safety technologies and highlight their benefits to farmers across Northern Ireland.
“While we look with optimism to the future, we must be mindful of the dangers that exist today,” she warned.
“Our advice remains the same to farmers; guard machinery; plan and follow safe systems of working; and use the correct equipment for the job,” Mackey concluded.
Keeping children safe
Meanwhile, as part of Farm Safety Week this week, the FSP reminded the farming community to keep children safe on farms during these busy summer months.
The FSP urged parents to think about the preventative measures they can put in place to help protect children from the risks they face on farms.
Some measures which parents can implement on or around the farm are:
- Providing young children with a securely fenced-off play area;
- Preventing children under the age of 13 riding on agricultural vehicles as passengers;
- Ensuring the farm quad is not driven by anyone under the age of 16 and those 16 or over must be trained and wear head protection;
- Secure any old equipment or gates to prevent them toppling over;
- Ensure slurry stores are securely fenced and keep children away from all mixing operations.