Farm Safety

Welcome to the Farm Safety homepage. Here, you’ll find grants and supports, resources and advice to help keep you, your farm and your family safe. Farming remains one of the most dangerous occupations in Ireland with an average of 18 fatal incidents on farms every year. Working together, we can make Irish farms a safer working environment.

Fatalities on farms account for approximately 40% of all fatal workplace incidents in Ireland. However, farmers only represent 4.5% of the workforce. There are around 4,500 non-fatal incidents every year on farms, some of which result in life-changing injuries and place the farmers’ livelihood and farm at risk.

Livestock, particularly cows after calving and bulls, vehicles and machinery, falls from heights, lifting and handling, slurry and hazardous substances all pose risks to the health and safety of people living and working on farms and visiting farms, but the risk of an incident can be minimised if hazards are properly managed.

There is a common perception that farming is a healthy occupation. However, Irish farmers have a higher incidence of heart disease than other workers. Due to their work environment, farmers are at increased risk of developing illnesses such as skin cancers and certain infections carried by animals.

Vehicles and Machinery

Safety measures when operating machinery and vehicles

Livestock

Stay safe when handling livestock

Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing

Farm safety, health and well-being are vitally important

Farm Families

Children and Older Farmers

Farm Safety Grants and Supports

National Farm Safety Measure is open for Expressions of Interest from 27 May 2026 to Friday, 6 November 2026.

Farmyards and Buildings

Working at Heights Safely

Slurry keyboard_arrow_down

Drowning is by far the most common cause of death involving slurry. To protect against drowning:

Open slurry tanks should be protected by an unclimbable fence or wall at least 1.8m high with locked gates.
Covered or slatted tanks require access manholes that children cannot open. A safety grid should be fitted below the manhole lid to give secondary protection.

Gases released by the agitation of slurry can cause gas poisoning. The following precautions should be taken when agitating slurry:

only agitate when there is good air movement
move all livestock out of the building(s)
make sure no person is in or near the building
open all doors and outlets to provide a draught
at least two people should be present and stand upwind
never stand over slats or near tank access points when agitation is in progress
avoid vigorous agitation in confined places
keep everyone away from the agitation point during agitation and for at least 30 minutes after agitation
there should be no one in the shed while the tank is being agitated and for at least 30 minutes after agitating has finished. This also applies to any building that shares a common airspace with it.
never enter or allow others to enter the tank or any confined place without breathing apparatus
agitation points must be placed outside the building

Further Information:

Slat Inspection - An Essential Safety Procedure

View the file

HSA information on slurry safety

Farm Safety Partnership keyboard_arrow_down

The Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee FSPAC is a sub-committee of the Board of the Health and safety Authority. It is made up of the following organisations:

Health and Safety Authority
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Teagasc
FBD Insurance
Irish Farmers Association (IFA)
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association ICMSA
Farm Relief Services Network (FRS)
Macra na Feirme
Professional Agricultural Contractors of Ireland (PAC Ireland)
Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI)
Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS)
SIPTU

The focus of the FSPAC is to advise the Board on the direction the HSA should take in relation to farm safety. The FSPAC has set up five working groups to advise the FSPAC on specific areas for action, which are:

Behaviour, Education and Training
Health and Vulnerable Persons
Tractor, high risk Machinery
Livestock Handling
Buildings, Working at Heights (WAH)

Weather Warnings and Advice keyboard_arrow_down

Protect yourself while working outdoors in hot weather.

Avoid going out during the hottest part of the day if possible (11am to 3pm),
Wear light and loose-fitting clothing that covers your skin,
Wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses,
Regularly apply a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) water-resistant sunscreen to skin that is not covered, using factor 50+ for children and at least factor 30+ for adults.
Stay in the shade as much as possible,
Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

Farm Safety Resources keyboard_arrow_down

Information and practical advice to help you stay fit and well for farm work: https://www.hsa.ie/media/osfjldb1/staying-fit-for-farming.pdf

Coping with the Pressures of Farming: https://teagasc.ie/wp-content/uploads/uploads/media/website/publications/2018/Coping-with-the-pressures-of-farming.pdf

Health and Safety Authority

Teagasc Farm Safety Guide

Child Safety on the Farm

ESB - Staying Safe on the Farm

OECD Video: Improving farm tractor safety standards

Road Safety - Agricultural vehicle drivers FAQs about agricultural tractors (rsa.ie)

HSA Survivor Stories ad Farm Safety videos

You and your farm - safety

Watch our YouTube Farm Safety playlist: