Clare primary schools have been urged by Labour TD, Michael McNamara to take advantage of free online farm safety learning resources, currently being offered by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).
Deputy McNamara said, “The danger associated with working and living on farms is known to all, with the latest figures showing that 2,000 injuries occur on Irish farms each year. However, the issue has come into stark light recently with two tragic deaths on Clare farms and the death and serious injury of two girls on a Cork farm.
“A crucial step in preventing deadly farm accidents is educating our children about the dangers and risks of being on a farm. In this regard, the HSA has produced excellent resources free of charge for primary school teachers looking to broach the topic of farm safety with their pupils.
It offers guidelines for teachers, and ideas for making children aware of hazards on the farm, such as machinery, slurry pits and electrical equipment. Teachers who carry out the class assessment with their pupils can then download a HSA certificate of completion,” he said.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.