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Teagasc Commitment to Farm Safety and Health Teagasc Director Professor Gerry Boyle called on all farmers to make farm safety a high priority to reduce the recent surge in fatalities on farms. To-date in 2010 eight workplace deaths have occurred on farms, this compares to eleven for all of 2009. Professor Boyle was speaking at the launch of a new Teagasc Corporate Policy which commits Teagasc, at every level of the organisation from the Authority to each individual staff member, to provide leadership and compliance on health and safety, both within Teagasc and when providing training and advice to customers. Professor Boyle said: “While accidents are caused by a multitude of factors, international studies indicate that human errors are involved in approximately 90 per cent of them. This suggests that the first and most immediate approach, to cut the shocking toll of tragedy, pain and suffering associated with farm injuries, is to dramatically heighten awareness of the causes and consequences of injury.“ Professor Boyle stated that Teagasc is working in partnership with the Health and Safety Authority and with the farm organisations to address health and safety in farming. Specific measures being put into immediate effect are the inclusion of a presentation on health and safety at major Teagasc events, farm discussion groups and in newsletters. Professor Boyle said that particular attention will be paid to dairy farmers as a recent Teagasc/HSA study showed that 58 per cent of fatal farm accidents occurred in dairying, with just 17 per cent of farmers engaged in the enterprise. Teagasc will provide a FETAC accredited Health and Safety Training course in 2010 and which will be available to all farmers. Speaking at the launch of the Teagasc Corporate Safety Policy, John McNamara, the organisation’s Health and Safety Officer called on farmers to proactively use the Health and Safety service provided by Teagasc. He stated that independent research shows that Teagasc is the organisation most favoured by sixty-seven per cent of farmers in relation to advice on health and safety issues; with the independent and practical nature of the service valued. Ms Mary Dorgan, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, said that developing a national culture of safety and health needs a partnership approach involving all stakeholders. The Teagasc/Health and Safety Authority Joint Prevention Initiative is an example of this approach. This Initiative led to the development and evaluation of the new Farm Safety Code of Practice, and which has been implemented by almost 55,000 farmers. Ms Dorgan stated that completing the Code’s Risk Assessment is a legal requirement; however, proper ‘buy-in’ and behaviour change at farm level is crucial to the success of the approach. Professor Jim Phelan, Dean of Agriculture and Food Science at University College Dublin said that providing training and education, backed up by research information is a vital element in achieving the culture change necessary to improve on-farm health and safety. A new module on farm health and safety has been introduced into to all agricultural science degree programmes with support from Teagasc. It is being very positively received by students, he said.
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Tugann Máinlia Plaisteach Foláireamh d’Fheirmeoirí faoi Nádúr na nGorthuithe a mBaineann Dóibh 18 Lúnasa 2010 Thug an Dochtúir Anne Collins, cláraitheoir agus máinlia plaisteach speisialaithe mion cur síos ar iarmhairtí úafásacha gortuithe feirme agus mhol sí d’fheirmeoirí aird chuí a thabhairt do shláinte agus sábháilteacht feirme ag comhdháil Náisiúnta um Shláinte agus Sábháilteacht Feirme, in Ath í, Co. Chill Dara inniu(Dé Ceadaoin, 18 Lúnasa). ‘I gcás gur gortú trámhach é a bhaineann le hinnealra feirme, déanfaidh na máinlianna plaisteacha a mhéid agus is féidir leo chun na géaga agus codanna eile den chorp a chur ag feidhmiú arís ach is minic a bhíonn srian ar ár gcumas, corp a duine a chur ag feidhmiú mar a bhí’ a dúirt an Dochtúir Collins. Nocht an Dochtúir Collins a tuairimí ag eascairt as suirbhé náisiúnta a léirigh go raibh an garda cumhachtdúiseachta in easnamh in 80% de chásanna ina raibh cumhachtdúiseacht bainteach leis an ngortú, éadaí an -scoilte agus brú ama a bhí i gceist i 40% de ghortuithe. Léirigh an suirbhé go laghdaíonn cumas an fheirmeora teacht slán as gortú a bhaineann le cumhachtdúiseacht de réir mar a théann an feirmeoir in aois. Is é 46 bliana d’aois meánaois na bhfeirmeoirí a gcailltear de bharr gorthaithe cumhachtdúiseachta agus i gcomparáid leis sin tiocfaidh duine 28 mbliana d’aois slán as gortú cumhachtdúiseachta. Ag oscailt na comhdhála chuir Dara Mac Giolla Laoire, an t-Aire Stáit le freagracht speisialta maidir le Gnóthaí Saothair agus Athchóiriú na Seirbhíse Poiblí fáilte roimh láithreacht agus tacaíocht Uachtarán an IFA, an t-Uasal John Bryan, Uachtarán an ICMSA an t-Uasal Jackie Cahill agus Uachtarán Mhacra na Feirme an t-Uasal Michael Gowing. ‘Tá ról lárnach le himirt ag ceannairí na bhfeirmeoirí an teachtaireacht a sheoladh chuig na bhfeirmeoirí go bhfuil bainistiú éifeachtúil um shláinte agus sábháilteacht riachtanach i riaradh feirme ráthúla. Is é an t-aon bhealach ar aghaidh d’eagraíochtaí feirme oibriú le chéile chun cultúr a athrú ionas nach mbreathnófaí ar shláinte agus sábháilteacht mar rud roghnach, ach go mbeadh sé ar bharr an liosta tosaíochta do gach uile fheirmeoir’, a dúirt an t-Aire. D’fháiltigh an t-Uasal Martin O’Halloran, Príomhfheidhmeannach an Údaráis Shláinte agus Shabháilteachta, roimh thacaíocht ó cheannairí na bhfeimeoirí agus ghríos sé na heagraíochtaí feirme uile chun iarracht speisialta a dhéanamh an dhrochbhliain ó thaobh sláinte agus sábháilteacht ar fheirmeacha a fheabhsú. ‘Cailleadh hocht nduine dhéag ar fheirmeacha i dtionóiscí oibre, sin dhá thriain de na bhásanna uile a bhain le obair i mbliana, is léir go bhfuil an-chuid oibre le déanamh’ a dúirt sé. ’Ní mór d’fheirmeoirí a bheith ar an airdeall an t-am ar fad nuair a bhítear ag úsáid tarracóirí, innealra agus feithiclí feirme eile toisc go raibh baint acu le móramh na mbásanna ar fheirmeacha i mbliana’. Thug an t-Ollamh Gerry Boyle, Stiurthóir Teagaisc imlíne dá gclár náisiúnta oiliúna madir le Cód Sábháilteachta agus Sláinte Feirme. Dar leis an Ollamh Boyle, ‘tá dea-thaighde agus dearadh déanta ar na cláir seo agus tá riachtanais na bhfeirmeoirí chun tosaigh iontu. Téann siad i ngleic leis na saincheisteanna coitianta maidir le sláinte agus sábháilteacht agus tugann siad réitigh phraiticiúla maidir le baoil a laghdú agus ionchas taismí a laghdú. Molaim go gach uile fheirmeoir a áit a chur in áirithe ina (h)oifig áitiúil Teagasc.