Farm Safety Week 2024 Begins on July 22nd – IFA

Farm Safety Week 2024 will take place from Monday July 22nd to Friday July 26th. President of the IFA Francie Gorman has highlighted the importance of farmers making safety the priority on their farms and taking the necessary steps to safeguard themselves and their families while working on the farm.  

“By making safety a priority on your farm, you’re not only protecting your wellbeing, but also ensuring the longevity and success of your farming operations,” Francie Gorman said.  

IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs chair Teresa Roche outlined the importance of safety to prevent farm incidents and fatalities, which she stressed were too high.  

“Farm work can be hazardous, but many accidents are preventable. By being mindful of safety and taking proactive measures, you can protect yourself and those who depend on you. I urge farmers to make changes now to create safer working environments,” she said. 

Topics that will be covered during the week are as follows – 1) Underreporting and near misses, 2) The hidden dangers of working outdoors, 3) Are you fit to farm? and 4) Farm Safety Hero.  

Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation ‘Yellow Wellies’, the charity leading the campaign said:
“According to the International Labour Office (ILO) agriculture employs half of the world’s labour force. It remains one of the three most hazardous sectors of activity (along with construction and mining). We can’t let this continue”. 

“2024 marks the 12th year of the campaign.  While the attitudes and behaviours around farm safety are changing, the pace of change is slow – too slow for the families of those we have lost and too slow for the thousands of farmers suffering every day with long term ill-health or serious injuries as a result of their work.” 

“This year’s Farm Safety Week offers an opportunity for a real reset of the way we approach farm safety and risk-taking. We cannot continue to tolerate poor safety behaviours, we cannot assume that it’s somebody else’s job to drive this change in culture, and we cannot rely on luck when going about our daily tasks,” she concluded.