The Wexford Chair of The Irish Farmers Association has called on the Government to grant extensions earlier, to alleviate pressure on farmers and prevent accidents.
This comes as The Health and Safety Authority has announced that 43 people died in work-related incidents nationwide in 2023. With 16 fatalities occurring in the agriculture sector and a high level in the construction industry.
Last year a man in his 70s died in a farming accident in the Ballyfad area of Gorey he was later named as David Lane and it is believed he was sowing winter wheat alongside his son at the time of the accident. An eyewitness said the man became fatally injured when he got caught underneath the moving tractor and trailer.
In June a man in his 50s died on a farm in Enniscorthy. Vincent (Vinny) Power aged 52 lived in Adamstown.
Jer O’Mahony said that one of the main contributing factors to accidents on farms in 2023 was the ongoing bad weather as well as tight deadlines that put increasing pressure on farmers and farm workers.
“We talk about it all the time within agriculture is that people are under pressure. Last year was a case in point where the weather just really never let up. Our other issue is deadlines, 10- 15 years ago there were no deadlines. I’m particularly thinking about spreading slurry and jobs like that that are very intensive that require a lot of concentration. Last year the weather just wasn’t there for people to do this job safely.”
He went on to say that the Government needs to alleviate this pressure that’s being brought on to those in the farming industry.
“Where extensions are given to help people in bad weather, they should be given earlier in time. Currently they are only given 24 hours before the initial deadline,” but Mr. O Mahony says that this is too late and the pressure has already been felt as farmers push themselves to reach a deadline.
Mr. O’Mahony went on to make an appeal to farmers to always take precautions.
“Having other people on your farm and letting other people know what you are doing, if it is a job that requires someone else just to be there, these are precautions that people have to take on farms.”
Elsewhere a man who died in a workplace accident in Wicklow in November was named locally as John Smyth. The man who was in his 60s, was from Comerduff in Gorey and Springhill Nursery in Coolafancy, near Tinahely. The incident occurred at a premises in Tinahely, Co. Wicklow.
HSA Assistant Chief Executive, Mark Cullen – says farmers and those in the building trade need to take care:
“In terms of the hazards that are contributing to fatalities within those sectors, again its working at height or working in and around vehicles or with vehicles. We ask people to take the time out to plan out those activities and look at how they can carry out that work safely.”
