Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland supports The Farm Safety Foundation in 2023 Farm Safety Week

On the opening day (Monday 17 July) of Farm Safety Week (17-21 July) the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) as a member of the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) has given its full support to the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF) in its efforts to improve farm safety throughout the UK and Ireland.

Agriculture remains one of the most dangerous industrial sectors in terms of death and severe injuries across the world. This year Farm Safety Week focuses on the need for the farming community to increase its vigilance when considering health and safety issues on the farm.

Speaking at the launch of Farm Safety Week, Camilla Mackey, Principal Inspector of HSENI’s Agri-Food Team said: “Farming has the poorest safety record of any industry in Northern Ireland.

“Farm Safety Week offers us a great opportunity to remind the farming community of the risks they face on a daily basis and to encourage all farmers and their families to discuss these risks in order to maintain vigilance in helping prevent serious incidents and ill health as a result of farming activities.

“I am delighted to continue to support the Farm Safety Foundation in this important annual initiative.”

The Farm Safety Foundation is highlighting four key aspects to lead to safer farming by:

• actively encouraging those living and working in farms across the UK and Ireland to take proactive actions to improve their approach to farming safely
• asking the farming community to stop and consider the excessive numbers suffering fatal injuries and those farmers who now live with long term ill-health or serious injuries due to incidents on the farm
• reminding farmers and farm workers of the particular dangers of working with livestock
• recognising Farm Safety Heroes who are working to drive a positive change in the industry

Camilla Mackey added: “I am appealing to the farming community to consider the risks they face, and, put proper precautions in place to ensure tasks are carried out safely. It could just save your life.”

Further information on farm safety can be found at the following link:

• The Farm Safety Partnership | Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland

Notes to editors: 

1. The Farm Safety Partnership comprises the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), NFU Mutual (NFUM), the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU), The Farm Safety Foundation (FSF), the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA) and Rural Support. It is tasked with assisting Northern Ireland’s farming community to work safely and tackle the problem of work-related fatalities and injuries on farms.
2. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Department for the Economy (DfE).
3. HSENI is the lead body responsible for the promotion and enforcement of health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland.
4. For media enquiries please contact HSENI Press Office on 028 9024 3249 or email media@hseni.gov.uk. For out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

Share this page