The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSE NI) have recently held a Farm Health and Safety Awareness Day in Ballymena, in a bid to highlight the dangers encountered when working on a farm. In conjunction with Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE), the awareness campaign has focused on the hazards farmers may encounter when working in the vicinity of underground electricity cables and overhead powerlines. Over 120 farmers from Ballymena, Cullybackey, Broughshane and the surrounding areas attended the one day event, which covered a wide range of health and safety issues, including the correct use of telescopic handlers, the safety of children around the farm, work at height on farm buildings, animal handling, workplace health, manual handling, tractor maintenance and the safe use of machinery.
HSE NI's Malcolm Downey said farms can have many hidden dangers for the agricultural community. "These local health and safety awareness days cover all health hazards on farms, and are a reminder to the farming community of the main causes of accidents and how they can be prevented. We welcome NIE's involvement with us, in order to promote awareness among farmers of safe working around electricity." NIE currently offers farmers and agricultural contractors advice and assistance to help them avoid overhead and underground cables, which includes advice leaflets, videos and maps and diagrams of the underground electricity network.
