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Minister Heydon launches new National Farm Safety Measure
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for farm safety, Martin Heydon T.D., today announced the opening of a new National Farm Safety Measure 2023.
The measure will provide a financial contribution to participating farmers covering 60% of the eligible cost of quad bike helmets and Power Take Off (PTO) shaft covers. A total of €1.5m has been allocated to support farmers in the purchase of this equipment.
Launching the measure, Minister Heydon said: "This new €1.5 million National Farm Safety Measure will help protect farmers and everyone involved in operating PTO-powered equipment and quad bikes on farms from serious and fatal injuries.
“Investing in safety provides for better working conditions and ensure that work can be done without risk of injury or fatality. This measure is designed to drive a change in behaviour and address unsafe practices such as operating a quad without a helmet, or operating machinery with defective or missing PTO shaft covers.”
Over the past decade (2013 – 2022) there have been 10 farm fatalities involving quads, of which two were under 18 and six were over 65 years of age. Farm vehicles and machinery account for over half of all fatalities on farms and Entanglement in power take-off (PTO) shafts has caused fatalities and life-changing injuries on Irish farms.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 places a legal obligation on farmers to ensure that plant and machinery are safe and without risk to health. From 20 November 2023, it will be mandatory for all operators of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs /Quads) to undergo training and to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including a helmet, when using such vehicles for work.
The Farm Safety Measure will be funded from the National Exchequer. The Measure will be open from the 21st June 2023 to 29th September 2023 on www.agfood.ie .
The maximum amount of aid under the measure is for two quad bike (ATV) helmets and four PTO shaft covers. The grant aid will be at a rate of 60% subject to a maximum eligible cost of €100 per PTO shaft cover and €150 per quad bike (ATV) helmet.
For further information on the National Farm Safety Measure 2023 go to www.gov.ie/farmsafety.
Notes for Editor