Falling bales and machinery safety to be highlighted at Ploughing

The issues of falling bales and machinery safety will be in focus at the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) stand at the National Ploughing Championships this week.

Interactive dramatisation and virtual reality experience will help visitors recognise the risks from unstable bales and farm machinery

The authority is urging everyone working in agriculture to plan work carefully and never underestimate familiar hazards.

While the reduction in farm fatalities recorded so far this year is welcome, there is still much work to be done, and everyone working in agriculture must remain vigilant and on guard against complacency, the HSA said.

Over the last ten years (2016-2025), farm vehicles and machinery accounted for almost half (46%) of farm deaths and will be a key focus for the Authority this week. Visitors will also be able to use a virtual reality simulator to experience operating agricultural machinery in a controlled environment. The interactive experience will demonstrate how visibility, speed, terrain and the presence of people nearby can affect safe operation and decision-making.

Mark Cullen, Chief Executive Officer at the HSA, said,: “Farming is vital to communities across Ireland, but it remains a demanding occupation with very serious risks. At the time of last year’s National Ploughing Championships, 16 people had lost their lives on farms, compared with five deaths so far this year. That reduction is welcome, but each one of those deaths is a tragedy. Every farmer must make it their personal mission to return home safely to their family at the end of the day and prevent another unnecessary loss of life. There can be no room for complacency. Safety must be at the heart of every task carried out on a farm.”

The HSA exhibit will feature a live dramatisation showing how falling or unstable bales can cause serious injury or death. The demonstration will highlight the precautions needed when stacking, storing and working near bales, including the importance of stable stacks, safe handling methods and keeping people clear of danger areas.

Ger Hartnett, Senior Inspector with the HSA, said: “Bales and farm machinery are part of everyday work, but familiarity must never lead to complacency. A poorly stacked bale or an unsafe movement of machinery can have devastating consequences in mere seconds. Our demonstrations are designed to make these risks visible and to show the straightforward steps that can protect farmers and their family members.”

The HSA will follow its ploughing safety message with a month-long inspection campaign during October focusing on working at height on farms. Inspectors will engage with farmers on the need to plan work at height, assess the risks and use suitable equipment, particularly where work involves ladders, roofs, fragile materials, silos or elevated work areas.

HSA inspectors and safety specialists will be available at the farm safety exhibit throughout the National Ploughing Championships, which take place in Screggan, Tullamore, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. The HSA stand is located at Block 3, Row 8, Stand 148.

For further information and practical farm safety guidance, visit www.hsa.ie/farmsafety.