An estimated 20,000 farmers have some form of disability, according to Teagasc’s national health and safety officer John McNamara.

He told the seminar on farming safely with a disability that farmers did not talk about disability. “Farmers are stoical. They just get on with the job and suffer in silence. But openness and engagement with all sorts of professions is important.”

Disabilities include everything from arthritis and back problems, to depression, to neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis. Teagasc research has found that family farm income is 15 per cent lower on farms where the operator has a disability, and off- farm employment is also lower, particularly for the spouse without the disability.

The seminar heard a new initiative had been set up to help people affected by disability to farm safely. AgrAbility Ireland (agrability.org.uk) gives free technical advice to help farmers with disabilities to keep working safely.

Modified equipment

Robert Stuthridge

, who set up the not-for-profit project, said farmers with disabilities often modified equipment to get the job done but they may unintentionally increase their risk of injury. AgrAbility can help with issues such as manipulating keys and handles, handling heavy loads, operating power tools and positioning animals for treatment.

He said he would like to see a regional network of farm disability specialists and a peer support network where farmers could talk to each other.

He based the model on the National AgrAbility Project, sponsored by the US department of agriculture. Its project director, Prof Bill Field, said the project helped farmers modify machinery. "My basic rule of thumb is, if you are licensed to drive a car we can help you to drive anything."

He said very few disabilities were caused by farm accidents. Arthritis was the main cause, followed by car crashes.