International Expert to Address Farm Safety Seminar

Monday 27th July

A National Seminar on Farm Safety and Health, organised jointly by the Health and Safety Authority and Teagasc in association with the Farm Safety Partnership, will be held on Friday 14th August in Athy, Co Kildare. The aim of the seminar is to consider new strategies to improve safety standards in the sector, which accounts for 30% of all workplace deaths.

Professor Risto Rautiainen, Deputy Director of the Great Plains Centre for Agricultural Health at the University of Iowa USA and Associate of the MTT Agrifood Research Institute in Finland, will address the seminar. Professor Rautiainen is a leading international expert in the area of agriculture safety and health and will present different perspectives from America and Finland on improving occupational safety and health on farms.

Also at the seminar over 100 farmers who recently completed a safety and health course will receive their FETAC certificates. Pat Griffin, Senior Inspector with the Health and Safety Authority, says he looks forward to seeing more farmers get safety and health training. “The farmers that have completed the course are to be commended and I hope to see more farmers complete this and the Teagasc run farm safety code of practice course in the near future. Training is a key factor in reducing accidents,” he said.

Speaking about the areas that the seminar will focus on, John McNamara, Health and Safety Officer with Teagasc said, “The presentations and theme of the event will focus on how to improve safety and health standards and the associated benefits to agriculture. It is important that as many farmers, farmer’s leaders and anyone with an interest in health and safety on farms attends.”

Other topics to be covered by a variety of speakers on the day will be;

  • The overall benefits of the partnership approach to improving farm safety and health,
  • Strategies in the recently launched National Farm Safety Action Plan,
  • The impact of injury and ill health and how to deal with managing stress in farming, and
  • David Butler, a farmer from the Athy area, will give his view of the benefits of attending a safety and health course.

The Seminar takes place at the Clanard Court Hotel, Athy, Co Kildare from 9.30 am to 1.00pm. To book a place contact Teagasc, Naas Advisory and Training Centre, Co Kildare (045 879203). The Seminar is being sponsored by FBD Insurances plc.