Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee

FSPAC

The Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee (FSPAC) was established to involve key stakeholders in improving occupational safety and health in the agriculture sector. The organisations below form the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee for the period 2025- 2027.

Members of the FSPAC:

Chairperson: Mr Ciaran Roche HSA Board Member
Vice Chairperson: Mr John Canny Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Teagasc
FBD Insurance
The Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI)
Farm Relief Services Training Limited (FRS)
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA)
The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS)
Irish Farmers Association (IFA)
Macra Na Feirme
Professional Agricultural Contractors of Ireland (PAC)
Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU)
HSA Staff Senior Inspector, Inspector & FSPAC Secretary

Terms of Reference

The Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee (FSPAC) is an advisory committee to the Board of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and has the following terms of reference for the period 2025-2027.

To act as a consultative and advisory forum on the HSA’s priorities for the Agriculture Sector.
To develop and agree a national action plan, coordinating the actions of working groups and representative organisations.
To identify, prioritise and progress key actions related to improving safety and health standards in the Agriculture Sector.
To identify and agree the critical areas for action and establish working groups to assist in the achievement of the agreed actions.
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.
To promote, influence and monitor this national action plan.
To identify, support and promote appropriate research and liaise with the relevant working group and agricultural organisations in the practical implementation of research findings.
To report regularly and formally, at least annually, to the HSA Board and provide a final report with proposed future actions following its 3-year term.

Farm Safety Action Plan 2025-2027

This Farm Safety Action Plan sets out three overarching goals:

To promote cultural and behavioural changes to improve the health and safety of persons working in the agricultural sector through collaboration, stakeholder engagement, research, education and training.
To implement initiatives for the protection of the health and wellbeing of all persons working in the agriculture sector, with a focus on the elderly, children and migrant workers.
To establish initiatives to reduce the level of death and injuries arising from high-hazard activities in the agricultural sector which include tractors, vehicles, machinery, livestock and construction activity.

Five working groups have been established to support these three goals:

Behaviour, Education and Training Working Group
Vulnerable Persons and Health Working Group
Vehicles and High-Risk Machinery Working Group
Livestock Working Group
Farm Buildings, Construction and Work at Height Working Group

View our latest Farm Safety Video Series here

Free Online Farm Safety Training

Please Note

Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee