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Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee

FSPACThe Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee (FSPAC) is an advisory committee to the Board of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).  The Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee was established to involve all industry stakeholders in improving occupational safety and health in Agriculture. 

Members of the FSPAC:

Chairperson Mr Ciaran Roche HSA Board Member

Vice Chairperson Dr Robert Leonard Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Farm Relief Service (FRS)

Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS)

Irish Farmers Association (IFA)

FBD Insurance plc (FBD)

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA)

Teagasc

Professional Agricultural Contractors Ireland (PAC Ireland)

Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU)

Macra Na Feirme

HSA Staff Senior Inspector, Inspector & FSPAC Secretary

 Terms of Reference of the FSPAC

  1. To act as a consultative and advisory forum on the HSA’s priorities and work programme for the Agriculture Sector.
  2. To develop and agree a national action plan, coordinating the actions of working groups and representative organisations.
  3. To identify, prioritise and progress the key actions related to improving safety and health standards in the Agriculture Sector.
  4. To identify and agree the critical areas for action and establish working groups to assist in the achievement of the agreed actions.
  5. To coordinate the work of working groups to achieve agreed targets, including a reduction in injury and ill health and an improvement in compliance with occupational safety and health within the sector.
  6. To promote, influence and monitor the national action plan.
  7. To identify, support and promote appropriate research and liaise with the relevant working group and agricultural organisations in the practical implementation of research findings.
  8. To report regularly and formally, at least annually, to the HSA Board and provide a final report with proposed future actions following its four-year term.

 Aim of the Farm Safety Action Plan

The aim of the new Farm Safety Action Plan is to reduce the level of fatalities, serious injuries and ill health in the agriculture sector. The FSPAC has identified five critical areas for attention:

  1. Behaviour, Education and Training
  2. Health and Vulnerable Persons
  3. Tractor, High Risk Machinery
  4. Livestock Handling 
  5. Buildings, Work at Height  

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