Address by Mr. Tom Kitt, T.D., Minister for Labour, Trade and Consumer Affairs at the Presentation of Certificates to Participants of the Safe Tractor Driving Skills Course Friday 8th December, 2000 in Munster Hotel, Thurles

There is a real need to raise awareness among children of the dangers on farms. Simply put, an Irish farm is one of the most dangerous workplaces in the country. They are, with the very rare exception, the only workplace in the country where children regularly lose their lives. In the past five years (1995-1999 inclusive) 106 people lost their lives on Irish farms. Of these 106 people 79 were adults and 27 were children. These frightening statistics speak for themselves and behind these figures lies a terrible human tragedy and unimaginable suffering.

Farming is very different to other sectors of employment in that it poses a particular and often fatal risk to children, especially from their proximity to machinery such as tractors. Extra vigilance is always needed where there are children on the farm. For example, the traditional image of young children sitting on the family farm tractor is deceptive in its apparent harmlessness - the reality is that the farm tractor is a dangerous piece of machinery from which a child can very easily fall, or fall under, and be killed. Indeed accidents involving tractors and farm machinery account for a significant amount of injuries and fatalities, and farmers and farm workers should be conscious of the need to handle farm machinery in a careful and cautious manner at all times.

The farm may be a family business and it may contain the family home, but it is still one of the high-risk places of work and should always be treated as such.

Before undertaking any job around the farm it is essential that farmers identify what could cause an accident and then put in place the necessary safety measures before attempting these jobs. In this regard, I would urge all farmers, who have not done so, to draw up a Safety Statement and where such statements exist to keep them under regular review. Drawing up a Safety Statement is quite simply a process by which you can identify all the potential risks and hazards which can arise, and by which you can also identify the measures which can and should be put in place to prevent, eliminate or reduce these risks and hazards. One of the main benefits of this exercise is that it helps to develop, and heighten, an awareness of the dangers which can exist on the farm, and awareness is the first step in tackling these dangers.

Farmers must acknowledge that farming is a hazardous occupation which carries specific risks to themselves, to their workers and, indeed, to their families. The Health and Safety Authority has an extensive range of information material available to anyone seeking advice and the Authority also works closely with all of the major farming organisations. I would encourage all farmers to seek information from either of these sources on how best they can improve their work practices and so protect their own lives, the lives of their families, and in the long term protect their very livelihood and that of their future generations. Don’t wait for an accident to happen before reviewing and improving work practices.

Farming is so much more than a job or an occupation, it is a unique way of life and can offer children very special childhood experiences. But by virtue of it being a way of life, the inherent dangers which it carries with it can often be underestimated and it is in this regard that adults and children alike can be put at risk.

I am particularly pleased to see that this course has been completed by a group of such enthusiastic young people. All the speeches in the world will not have the same impact as young people themselves taking an active responsibility for their own safety and welfare, and then bringing the health and safety message back to the farm where it can be properly put into practice. Well done to all of you!

This course will benefit you most directly in relation to safety on the farm, but it will also serve you well in the future by instilling a general awareness of the need for healthy and safe work practices at all times. By completing this course you have already shown a commitment to your own safety and that of your families, and I would ask you to continue to make a contribution to farm safety by taking every opportunity you have to remind your families and your friends of the need for ongoing vigilance and safety awareness. You are the workers of the future and many of the attitudes you develop now will last a long time and serve you well.

Thank you for your attention.