News & Info
Farming risks highlighted in Farm Safety Week 2025
21st July, 2025
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is running Farm Safety Week from 21st – 25th July 2025, an awareness campaign urging farmers, their families, and all those working in agriculture to reflect, change behaviour and take action to prioritise safety.
This year’s Farm Safety Week is a collaborative campaign coordinated by the Irish Farmers’ Association, bringing together farming organisations from across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England to focus on safety.
Tragically, so far this year there have been 12 farming fatalities. According to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), five of these fatalities involved agricultural vehicles.
The main causes of farm accidents involve vehicles, machinery, livestock and falls from height.
Solicitor Phillip Gleeson, who specialises in farm accident claims, says robust safety procedures, including appropriate training for all farm workers, as well as regular maintenance of machinery, are all vital for preventing accidents.
“It sounds obvious, but when safety guidelines are followed, generally, accidents will be prevented. In particular, when it comes to farm machinery, it is so important that these are regularly checked and maintained. It’s also crucial that anyone using the machinery has been properly trained. Unfortunately, vehicle and farm machines are a common cause of the farm accident claims that we deal with,” he says.
Philip adds: “When dealing with farm accident claims, we usually investigate risk assessments, safety statements and any training conducted at the farm. Unfortunately, in many cases, there aren’t appropriate assessments, statements, nor training provided. I hope that this Farm Safety week will raise awareness on the importance of these fundamentals to ensure all farm workers have a safe work environment”.
For Farm Safety Week, the IFA has created the Farm Safety Hub with videos, fact sheets, guidelines and tips for farmers, covering topics such as:
- Farmer Health & Wellbeing
- Eye Protection – Importance of PPE
- Vehicle & Machinery safety
- Falls from heights
- Sepsis Awareness
- Farm Safety Hero
If you have been injured in a farm accident, contact us today for a confidential discussion.
Our highly experienced team can provide you with clear and independent advice to achieve the best possible outcome for you.
Disclaimer: This article has been prepared by Tracey Solicitors LLP for general guidance only and should not be regarded as a substitute for professional advice.
We draw on our 35 years of experience in personal injury law to provide you with expert advice and legal services. We have dealt with thousands of different cases over the years and are proud of our record of client care and success to date.