Emmet Stagg
Question:38 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps he is taking to reduce the number of deaths on farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25764/02]
Other Questions. - Farm Safety.
I am very concerned with the level of safety on our farms. Over the past ten years the number of people killed on farms remains unacceptably high. Last year, for example, 24 people, including seven children, died in accidents in this sector. Some of the accidents were horrific because modern machinery is so powerful. These frightening statistics speak for themselves and behind these figures lie terrible human tragedy and unimaginable suffering, which is harrowing. It is imperative for all farmers to acknowledge that farming is a hazardous occupation and one that – given the powerful tractors and other machinery currently in use – carries specific risks to themselves, their workers and their families. All necessary steps to minimise these risks must be taken.
My Department has been involved in a number of initiatives with a view to reducing the risk to farmers, farm workers and their families. For example, in January this year I accepted the invitation of the Health and Safety Authority to be associated with the launch of their "Guidelines on the Preparation of a Safety Statement for the Farm". The guidelines give detailed advice on how to carry out a risk assessment and prepare a safety statement. The Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 requires farmers to prepare a safety statement and to provide appropriate safeguards on an ongoing basis to prevent accidents and ill health on farms. The guidelines and many other farm safety information leaflets are available from the Health and Safety Authority.
Is the Minister aware that less than 10% of farmers actually have a safety statement or even know they should have one? I appreciate that responsibility for the implementation of these guidelines rests with the Health and Safety Authority, but the Department of Agriculture and Food should also ensure every facility is in place, via Teagasc, for farmers to obtain the safety statement. Apart from accidents involving machinery, there are also risks associated with the use of farm chemicals. It might be of interest to the Minister to know that, according to a recent report, 85% of the farming community in County Cork drinks unpasteurised milk. I am not sure whether this could technically be classified under the heading of farming accidents, but it is clearly a hazard which should be emphasised. Perhaps the Minister would like to comment on that.
First of all I should say that I grew up on unpasteurised milk.
So did I.
So did we all.
The Minister has all the signs of it.
Maybe that is the problem.
The Minister has answered a lot of questions with that comment.
Into the bucket, boys.
I do encourage people to drink pasteurised milk, though, because pasteurisation kills harmful paragenic bacteria. It is a safe thing to do. In addition, I like to eat cheese made from pasteurised milk. I know the French and others like unpasteurised cheese but I think there is a risk there. It would be helpful and prudent to ensure that as many unsafe organisms as possible are destroyed in food before people eat it.
As regards farm safety, on 8 April this year I welcomed the launch by the Health and Safety Authority of its farm safety action week. The aim of this initiative was to promote best safety practice and to reduce the number of accidents on farms. I have also arranged for the farm safety training module to be included in the mandatory 20 hour training course for all participants in REPS 2.
The agricultural colleges operate very good training schemes as part of the students' training, featuring tractors and farm machinery generally.
I must remind the Minister that there is a one minute limit on replies to supplementary questions, and the questions themselves.
All right, a Leas Cheann Comhairle, but this is a critically important matter. I would like to see a sharp decline in farm accidents, as we have seen on the roads. I am calling on everyone concerned to be that little bit more careful.
Have any farmers been prosecuted for not having safety statements? In any other industry – the building industry, for example – there would be prosecutions for breaching safety regulations. It is an appalling statistic that only 10% of farmers have a safety statement or are aware they should have one.
The IFA has produced a very good video on health and safety on farms. We are conscious of families who have suffered accident and loss from farm accidents. Will the Minister consider putting some of the €34 million funding that is on the way from Europe into an advertising campaign on farm safety, similar to the one produced for the Road Safety Authority? We need to show shocking images of children on bales or hanging around slurry tanks. Painful as that may be for families who have suffered loss from accidents, it may save lives in future. The Minister should consider running an advertisement campaign in late spring, in conjunction with the Health and Safety Authority.
It is the role and responsibility of the Health and Safety Authority to monitor the situation and ensure there is compliance with health and safety regulations on farms. I am not aware of any prosecutions that have occurred in this regard.
I will examine Deputy Timmins's suggestion. My notes contain a list of publications, covering two pages, which include "Children and safety on farms", "A code of practice for preventing accidents to children", "Farm safety handbook", a video entitled "Farming – a way of life", "Guidelines for mouldy feed", "Play safe", "Safe on the farm", "Safe use of sheep dip", "Safety in forestry operations", "Farm information pack", "Health and safety on the farm", "Safety action week", "Campaign of farm inspections", "Child safe campaign" and a number of CD-ROMs. There is a plethora of such material, yet horrendous accidents take place on farms. Therefore, I will examine what Deputy Timmins has said to see if I can do something about encouraging people to be more careful.