HSENI supports The Farm Safety Foundation in 2025 Farm Safety Week
This week, 21st to the 25th July, is Farm Safety Week and HSENI, a member of the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP), has given its full support to the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF) in its efforts to change farming’s poor safety record.
In this, the thirteenth year of Farm Safety Week, the message to the farming community has always been consistent: take extra care when working with animals, machinery, and moving vehicles – key contributors to the majority of fatal injuries on farms.
Speaking at the launch of Farm Safety Week, Robert Kidd, Chief Executive of HSENI said: “Farming continues to have the poorest safety record of any industry in the UK and Ireland, but we have made significant strides in raising awareness and encouraging safer practices, particularly among the younger generation, nevertheless, in this thirteenth year of our Farm Safety campaign, we’ll shine a light on less obvious, but equally critical, issues affecting the safety and wellbeing of those who live and work on farms.
“HSENI are proud to support the annual Farm Safety Week campaign, farming is more than a job, it is a way of life so keeping it safe is a responsibility we all share. Whether new to the industry or farming for years, we all have a role to play in improving the safety record within the farming community. There is no acceptable level of serious injuries or fatalities in farming, as each incident affects a family, a farm business and a local community.
“Also, as part of the new HSENI Occupational Health campaign, we will be highlighting key areas of concern in farming such as agricultural dust, skin cancer through over exposure to UV rays, and Musculoskeletal Disorders, all of which can have a devastating effect on farming life and can lead to fatalities.”
Farmers, workers and farming families need to prioritise looking after their own health, safety and wellbeing to be fit and continue being involved in participating in the farm business.
This year’s Farm Safety Foundation objectives are:
- To continue challenging and changing the attitudes to risk-taking and working safely;
- Share evidence and real experiences of the past 13 years to remind audiences to take positive steps to improve their attitudes and behaviours;
- To highlight the importance of wearing PPE, especially eye protection, when carrying out a variety of farming tasks;
- To highlight the critical importance of safe operation of agricultural vehicles and, in particular, quad bikes;
- To celebrate the Farm Safety Heroes from each of our partner countries working to drive a positive change in the industry.
Further information and resources on farm safety can be found at https://www.hseni.gov.uk/articles/farm-safety-partnership
Further information on the Workplace Occupational Health campaign can be found at: https://www.hseni.gov.uk/topics/workplace-health
You will find the NISG team delivering the farm safety message at Antrim Show on Saturday 26th July and at Clogher Valley Show on Wednesday 30th July. There will be children’s activities and information for people of all ages at each event.
Please share this reminder to think safety with your employees and supply chain who may be part time farmers and ask them to stop by and speak to the NISG team at the Shows to find out more.
