(Ireland)
Under the current Health and Safety Authority (HSA) Strategy Statement 2019-2021, agriculture has been prioritised as a key sector for actions to reduce the disproportionately high rates of fatalities, injuries and ill health.
The previous Farm Safety Action Plan (2016–2018) developed by the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee, an advisory committee to the Board of the Health and Safety Authority, set out challenging goals and actions in relation to improving occupational safety and health for those working in agriculture.
The new plan (2021–2024) focuses on safety critical areas and aims to continue actions and build on the achievements of the previous plan. The agricultural sector has undergone a significant phase of expansion, particularly in the dairy and beef sectors and continues to provide a significant contribution to the Irish economy.
However, these sectors face difficult challenges in the achievement of the necessary improvements in occupational safety and health standards. Safety with tractors, farm vehicles and farm machinery and preventing incidents involving livestock along with falls from height, coupled with an aging workforce, are the areas of greatest concern and will be the central
focus in this new plan.
It is available here.
Health and Safety Authority August 2021