I propose to take Questions Nos. 325 and 326 together.
The amount allocated by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) for farm safety initiatives in the years 2010 to 2017, and the anticipated expenditure for 2018 and the number of farm inspections and investigations 2010– 2018, are set out in the attached appendix. Also attached in tabular form are details about farm fatalities in the context of total workplace fatalities.
While the HSA was originally allocated a budget of €384,000 for farm safety initiatives in 2017, the actual expenditure was higher at €533,995 due to the allocation of additional funding by my Department during 2017.
In 2018 the HSA has allocated approximately €624,000 for farm safety initiatives. The actual figure expended might vary during the year in response to particular issues that arise in this or other sectors. These initiatives will involve the organisation of, participation in, or support of a wide range of agriculture related events as well as media coverage. The Authority will also engage in a number of targeted promotional campaigns through relevant media.
In 2018 the HSA is also carrying out three focused inspection campaigns each of one-month duration. The first campaign focused on Livestock Handling in March, the second campaign was on Farm Vehicle Safety which took place in May and the third on Working at Height and Maintenance will take place in October. In addition to these specific campaigns other national campaigns related to vehicle and construction safety will have relevance to the farming sector.
Since 2014 the HSA has redirected some of its inspection resources towards engaging directly with farmers on other accident prevention initiatives. Research has shown that farmers working in peer to peer groups, such as Knowledge Transfer Groups similar to Discussion Groups take on new information, new procedures, and new technology more easily and make more lasting changes in the way they farm when involved with such groups. The objective is to bring about sustainable changes to work practices and controlling risk.
In line with the research findings the HSA has a renewed focus in offering strong support to these Knowledge Transfer Groups. During 2017 HSA inspectors were involved with over 100 such Groups, in addition to farm walks, thereby reaching a further 2,000 farmers through such engagements. The use of Knowledge Transfer Groups is continuing in 2018.
|
Table of Expenditure on Farm Safety Initiatives 2011 to 2017
Year
|
Expenditure *
|
|
2010
|
€264,000 **
|
|
2011
|
€264,481
|
|
2012
|
€589,870
|
|
2013
|
€449,669
|
|
2014
|
€327,953
|
|
2015
|
€396,251
|
|
2016
|
€416,917
|
|
2017
|
€533,995
|
|
2018 (estimated)
|
€624,000
|
*Note: Annual figures for expenditure include some cross sectorial initiatives where the expenditure is also relevant to other sectors. As it is not possible to extract this it has been included as the full figure.
** Note: The expenditure figure for farm safety initiatives in 2010 was recorded on a now defunct financial system and is no longer accessible but was similar to expenditure for 2011.
Set out below also is a table showing the breakdown of the annual farm inspection numbers carried out by the HSA from 2010 to date in 2018 (Feb. 13th).
Farm inspections and investigations 2010 – 2018
|
Year
|
Number of farm Inspections and Investigations
|
|
2010
|
1,646
|
|
2011
|
3,058
|
|
2012
|
3,136
|
|
2013
|
2,784
|
|
2014
|
2,644
|
|
2015
|
3,056
|
|
2016
|
2,008
|
|
2017
|
1,776
|
|
2018
|
983 (Target 2,000) *(As of 10/07/18)
|
[Table cont]
The level of farm deaths fluctuates greatly for example from 16 in 2013 to 30 in 2014 as does the percentage of farm deaths compared to all sector deaths 29% of total in 2013 to 64% of total in 2014. (See table below)
|
YEAR
|
Farm Deaths
|
All Sector Deaths
|
% Farming
|
|
2010
|
25
|
43
|
58
|
|
2011
|
22
|
48
|
46
|
|
2012
|
21
|
56
|
38
|
|
2013
|
16
|
55
|
29
|
|
2014
|
30
|
47
|
64
|
|
2015
|
19
|
48
|
40
|
|
2016
|
21
|
46
|
46
|
|
2017
|
24
|
47
|
51
|
|
2018
|
13
*(As of 10/07/18)
|
26
|
50
|
|
TOTALS
|
191
|
416
|
46
|
