18 July 2022
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.kie
Farm Safety Week – Monday 18 to Friday 22 July 2022
The schoolchildren across Cork came out on top for Farm Safety ambassadors in Munster primary schools. 57 Cork Schools took part in the Agri Aware Farm Safe Schools programme which gave pupils practical advice to keep everyone on the farm safe.
The role of children on the farm during this Farm Safety Week (July 18-22) is crucial as 21 children have sadly died on Irish farms over the last decade.
The Agri Aware Farm Safe Schools Programme is helping improve farm safety in Munster with 160 primary schools across the province carrying the initiative. All of the children who took part are now Farm Safety Ambassadors.
Cork had 57 Schools involved, the highest in the whole country. Limerick was next with 24 schools, among them the National Farm Safe Schools Champion Class, Athlacca NS, won that accolade in June. Tipperary had 23 schools take part, Kerry 21, Waterford 20 while Clare had 15 schools get involved in the programme.
Unfortunately, farming has the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK and Ireland. This week brings Ireland and the UK together to encourage farmers and farm workers to view health and safety as an integral part of their business.
At the Launch of Farm Safe Schools for Farm Safety Week with Alma Jordan of Farm Safe Schools, Cork’s Alan Jagoe of Agri Aware, 10-year-old Eamon Delany and Caroline Farrell of the IFA
Farm Safety Week hopes to keep farm safety at the forefront of all farmers’ and their families’ thinking, with schoolchildren helping to lead the way.
Alan Jagoe, Agri Aware Chairman – who farms near Carrigaline, Co Cork – said: “We are proud to support the annual Farm Safety Week campaign. A campaign across Ireland and the UK can really draw attention to, and reduce the injury risk that farmers and farm workers face every day.
“The Agri Aware Farm Safe Schools programme has had a real impact in just a short space of time in bringing the farm safety message home to the farm from the classroom.
“When many voices join together to drive a change, this is when it can happen. Farm Safety Week is important for this focus but the truth is that we should all try our best to farm safely every day of the year not just during Farm Safety Week.”
Throughout Farm Safety Week, the Farm Safety Foundation, supported by the Farm Safety Partnerships, The IFA, the Health & Safety Executive, Health & Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and the Health & Safety Authority, Ireland, will encourage people in the industry to speak up for safety and make our farms safer places to work.
