DUP MEP
Diane Dodds and Keith Morrison, the Northern Ireland Health and Safety
Executive’s Chief Exec, recently met to discuss farm safety and the need to
increase safety measures to protect farm hands, farmers and livestock.
The talks
covered various HSE issues which affect modern farmers. The focus what on what
measures and assistance could be generated from funding and other sources to
help ensure better protective measures for farm workers.
Farming is
one of the most dangerous industries in the United Kingdom and is marred by a
high rate of accidents and serious injuries.
Speaking
from the meeting in Northern Ireland, Mrs. Dodds said: “In recent years, here
in Northern Ireland, we have witnessed at first-hand the cost that too many
have paid as a result of farm accidents. To help improve the situation, there
is an onus on all of us to raise the profile and take any relevant action that
we can to make a difference.”
Believing
that more can be done to reduce accident numbers within farming environments,
Diane’s focus was on better support, education and a willingness to adapt on
the part of those at risk, adding: “The industry as a whole has started the
process of assisting in these three areas through the Farm Safety Partnership -
and with the support of DETI Minister Arlene Foster MLA increased safety should
result in fewer casualties and injuries, whether from incomplete and faulty
machinery or basic human error.”
Based in
Reading, England and with 18 years’ experience as a major export specialist for
tractors and agricultural machinery, Dumelow International regularly responds
to industry news and research. The company spokesperson agrees that the level
of safety, both in the UK and abroad should be of paramount importance and
stressed that unsafe machinery should be replaced or repaired to help lower
accident levels:
“There are
too many cases where farmhands or workers have received serious injury from
defective or outdated, unsafe agricultural machinery. On what grounds does
operating such faulty equipment supersede the safety of a human being? There
should be none in our opinion and we commend the efforts of HSE officials who
are doing an excellent job of assisting farmers with the correct education and
funding, assisting them to replace or improve their working conditions, unsafe
machinery and generally helping to eliminate any accident waiting to happen.”
Offering a
wide array of fully serviced and safety inspected agricultural tractors and
machinery to overseas customers, Dumelow International sees a number of
enquiries from neighbouring Ireland and they work continually to maintain
excellent customer service. Visit their website to discover more about the
products and machinery that they provide at www.dumelow.co.uk