Survivor Stories - Real Farmers Real Stories
Monday 5th March
The number of fatal and serious accidents that have occurred in Agriculture over the last number of years has been shocking and disproportionately high. This year the Health and Safety Authority’s inspection and awareness activities will be aiming to foster a strong safety culture in Agriculture from within the farming community itself. This is a potentially high impact way to achieve a sustained reduction in the number of tragic deaths and life changing injuries.
Accidents resulting in death are the most serious and tragic of all, but every year many accidents occur that result in serious injury and long-term disability. These accidents receive less attention but the effects can be devastating for those involved and their families.
With that in mind, the Health and Safety Authority with the assistance of the Farm Safety Partnership and Macra Na Feirme has created a series of testimonials, available on DVD and online, called Survivor Stories where real farmers tell their stories about accidents that happened to them and the effects on their families and friends.
Pat Griffin Senior Inspector with the Health and Safety Authority says, “The experiences of the farmers in these testimonials are harrowing but there is something that is apparent throughout these stories, there is a resilience and sense of community that is very strong amongst farmers. These farmers have bravely told their stories so that others can learn from their experiences and avoid the same fate.”
Pat Griffin continued, “We will be making these DVD’s available to training providers and representative bodies so that they can be shown to farmers at various meetings and discussions groups with the purpose of creating discussion and raising awareness.”
The HSA has used research to identify that while most farmers understand the hazards of farming, they perceive their own farm as being safe. Many think it won’t happen to them, but when an accident does happen it can take many years, if ever, to recover.
