Any sudden death on a farm is deeply regrettable, but the loss of a child represents an unmitigated disaster. So far this year, 17 people have died, four of them children, and the statistical outlook is bleak. For the families concerned, the loss of loved ones creates emotional upheaval and raises questions about what might have been done differently. The unfortunate reality on many farms is that safety is not being accorded the priority it deserves.

Half of all workplace deaths are on farms, although only 5 per cent of the population work there. They are twice as dangerous as construction sites. And despite the best efforts of the Health and Safety Authority through farm inspections and the publication of codes of practice, that safety record has not improved in recent years. Most deaths and serious injuries involve tractors, machinery and other vehicles and occur in farmyards. Unguarded power shafts pose a particular threat. A Teagasc survey found most of these incidents were predictable and therefore, preventable. Part of the problem is that farms are homes as well as workplaces and children, as well as adults, live in a high-risk environment.

Having failed to reduce the death rate by farm inspections, which normally involve the issuing of verbal warnings, the Health and Safety Authority has enlisted farming and other organisations in promoting safety codes designed to bring about a cultural change. It will involve schools and agricultural colleges and is likely to be a slow process. Farmers resent inspections of all kinds, even when such visits are in their own best interests. As with the successful campaign to reduce road deaths caused by drunken driving, however, a threat of prosecution because of consistently dangerous practices or the use of unsafe machinery represents an important element in ensuring compliance. Too many avoidable deaths occur on Irish farms and a more robust enforcement regime is required. High safety standards are in everybody’s interests.