Tag Archives: tractor

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) have urged road users to take extra care, as the number of tractors, trailers and other farm machinery on the roads increases over the summer months. The appeal comes as many farmers around the country are in the middle of the silage cutting season. Ms Moyagh Murdock, chief rxecutive, RSA said, “This is a very busy time of year for farmers, with silage cutting already underway. The number of tractors and trailers out using the roads will increase dramatically. As a result the risk of a collision involving a road user and farm machinery has increased. As such I am asking all drivers to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other farm machinery exiting from fields and farm yards. If you are travelling behind farm machinery, please be patient and only over take when it’s safe to do so. We should all expect the unexpected, as …

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) will begin a month long intensive farm inspection campaign on Tuesday next. Approximately 500 inspections are planned with the focus on tractor and machinery safety. Each year, nearly half of all farm deaths, and many more serious accidents, are linked to tractors and machinery.  To date in 2017 there have been six farm fatalities with four involving tractors or machinery. In an effort to reduce these accidents inspectors will be encouraging farmers to plan work and have systems in place that minimise risk particularly during silage harvesting. Pat Griffin, senior inspector with the HSA said that many serious and fatal accidents on farms occur when someone is crushed or struck by machinery. “The movement of machinery, whether in the yard or in a field, can be hazardous and farmers need to be aware of the risks, particularly if there are young children living on or visiting the farm. Incidents of crushing someone against a …

A farmer had a lucky escape yesterday when his tractor caught fire while driving through the village of Clarecastle. The incident happened at around 1.40pm near the bridge on the outskirts of the village and the man had to jump from the cab after the tractor burst into flames. The driver managed to pull the vehicle into the kerb before jumping to safety. Emergency services and two units of the fire brigade attended the scene and gardaí from Ennis closed the road to traffic while fire crews brought the outbreak under control.

THE  man in his fifties, killed in a tragic farm accident near Ballyea, has been named locally as Gerry O’Connell. Shortly before 10pm on Wednesday night, Gardaí and emergency services were called to the farm where Mr O’Connell had suffered fatal injuries in the incident, believed to have involved a tractor and trailer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The area was sealed off pending the arrival this morning of the Health and Safety Authority who will commence their own investigation. The deceased man is well known in GAA circles and one of his son’s, Gearóid is a member of the Clare U-21 hurling team that faces Wexford next week in the All-Ireland final in Thurles. Another son Paddy is very prominent with the Ballyea hurling and Clondegad football clubs. Pending confirmation of the funeral arrangements, it is unlikely that Clondegad’s senior football championship quarter-final game with Kilmurry Ibrickane and their junior ‘A’ championship play-off game with Lissycasey, both …