Ministers endorse Action Plan to help make farms safer

Date published: 07 October 2024

Department for the Economy (DfE) Minister Conor Murphy, and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir have endorsed the latest Farm Safety Partnership Action Plan.

The three-year plan, aimed at making farms safer, was launched at an event hosted by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) at the College of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus in Antrim.

The Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) exists to improve safety standards on local farms to reduce fatalities, major injuries, and improve health across the sector.

Addressing the audience at the launch of the Action Plan, Economy Minister, Conor Murphy said: “Our agriculture sector contributes significantly to the economy.  As an industry you are critical to our economic success, but to your colleagues, families, and friends you mean so much more.

“Many important strides have been made over the years, with the rate of fatal incidents slowly decreasing. However, they continue to happen, and one life lost in a farming accident, is one life too many. I’m pleased therefore to see the great work of the Farm Safety Partnership continuing with this new three-year plan. 

“It commits to working towards a target of zero fatalities, to educating and advising the farming community, and to giving them the tools they need to keep themselves safe, as well as their employees, and their families.  Keeping safe does not have to be complicated or costly. Small steps save lives.”

The Action Plan sets out a series of interventions including promoting best practice; education; engagement with children, young people, and older farmers; promoting sustainable safe farming practices; and interventions where serious failures are identified.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said: “There are still avoidable deaths occurring on farms in Northern Ireland. Accidents can happen, even in the most experienced hands and are a reminder of the risks faced by those working on farms. Every serious injury and fatality is a tragedy and brings devastating consequences to the front door of the farmhouse. This plan reinforces the need to improve safety on our family farms to ensure the farm is a safe environment for all family members and employees.

“Working together in a constructive way to influence positive change by implementing plans and strategies that lead to a safe environment improving farmer safety and wellbeing, and ultimately to saving the lives of those who work tirelessly to provide food for our tables, and a thriving agri-food sector benefits everyone.”

Closing the event, FSP Chair Harry Sinclair added: “We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to and encouraged the development of this potentially lifesaving plan.”

The FSP was established in 2012 and represented by HSENI, DAERA, Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), National Farmers’ Union Mutual (NFUM), Young Farmers’ Club of Ulster (YFCU), Farm Safety Foundation (FSF), and Rural Support (RS).

Copies of the Farm Safety Action Plan 2024-2027 can be obtained upon request from the HSENI Communications Team at media@hseni.gov.uk