Farmers urged to embrace new safety technologies

As a round-off to Farm Safety Week (18-22 July) the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) is encouraging the farming community to consider new and emerging farm safety technology in efforts to keep everyone safe on our farms.

With fast moving technical development, machinery such as autonomous electric tractors, large spraying drones, and on-vehicle cameras that can monitor danger areas around Power Take Off (PTO) drives and remotely stop the machinery if someone gets too close, 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.  Our advice remains the same to farmers; guard machinery; plan and follow safe systems of working; and use the correct equipment for the job.”

As part of the Farm Safety Action Plan 2020-2023 which is aimed at reducing the number of serious and fatal incidents, HSENI has a full range of farm safety advice available at:  www.hseni.gov.uk/essentials

Notes to editors: 

1. The ‘Be Aware Kids – child safety on farms’ campaign is the largest initiative in NI to engage with children on the issue of farm safety. The programme has been running since 1999 and is extremely well known in the farming industry. This initiative includes the annual ‘Avoid Harm on the Farm’ Poster Competition, which has been running since 2003. 
2. 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), and the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA). 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.
3. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Department for the Economy (DfE).
4. HSENI is the lead body responsible for the promotion and enforcement of health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland.
5. 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.

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