Farm Safety Week – 20th to 24th July 2026.
NISG is supporting HSENI and the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP) in their campaign to highlight the reality of life-changing farm injuries during this year’s Farm Safety Week. It only takes one decision, one shortcut or one missed hazard to bring a devastating change to the lives of a farming family and their business, HSENI and the has warned.
Speaking on the first day of the 14th National Farm Safety Week campaign, HSENI Principal Agriculture Inspector Rachel Hamill said one lapse in concentration can change a life forever.
"Every serious injury starts with a moment that nobody expected. A routine task can become a life-changing event in seconds if something goes wrong.
"Whether you're working with livestock, operating machinery, working at height or moving vehicles around the yard, taking a few moments to assess the risks could prevent an injury that affects you and your family for the rest of your life.
"This Farm Safety Week we're asking everyone involved in farming to remember one simple message: it only takes one. One decision to work safely can be the decision that gets you home at the end of the day."
The UK and Ireland-wide campaign is led and funded by The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) and this year's campaign focuses on the reality of serious and life-changing injuries on farms, highlighting that while every statistic represents a person, the impact of an incident reaches far beyond the individual involved.
In Northern Ireland, agriculture remains one of most dangerous industries with 57 fatalities over the last 10 years. Despite ongoing improvements in awareness, preventable incidents continue to leave farmers, family members and workers with injuries that can permanently affect their health, independence, livelihood, and quality of life.
Harry Sinclair, Chair of the Farm Safety Partnership said:
"Farmers are under constant pressure from the weather, workloads and time. We understand those pressures, but no job is so urgent that it should be carried out unsafely.
"Every farm has hazards, but every farmer also has opportunities to reduce those risks. Taking time to plan the job, maintaining equipment, using the correct safety measures and speaking up if something doesn't look right can make all the difference."
During the week, the campaign will examine the human impact of farm injuries, what to do if you are first on the scene of an incident, how behaviours and habits can contribute to accidents, and how everyone in agriculture can play a role in creating a safer future for the industry.
.HSENI and the FSP are encouraging farmers, contractors, agricultural workers, and farming families to use Farm Safety Week as an opportunity to pause, review how work is carried out and identify one change that could make their farm safer. Farmers are encouraged to take practical steps to reduce risk by slowing down, avoiding shortcuts, and making safe decisions before starting every task.
Top safety reminders
- Stop and think before starting any job.
- Never take unnecessary shortcuts.
- Make sure machinery and equipment are properly maintained.
- Work safely around livestock and moving vehicles.
- Use suitable equipment for working at height.
- Speak to family members and workers about the day's tasks and potential hazards.
- Carry your mobile phone with you.
NISG exhibited at Castlewellan Show on Saturday 18th July and will also be attending Antrim Show on Saturday 25th July and Clogher Valley Show on Wednesday 29th July, where members of our Executive Committee will be promoting this message to farmers and their families. We will have activities for the kids with NISG giveaways plus HSENI and other promotional material offering help and information to all who are engaged in farming. Please share this information with your workforces and supply chains and invite them to visit our stand at both upcoming agricultural shows. Remember that many people locally farm at home as well as working for an employer, so you can help to share this content.
