Contact: Mr Frank Cunneen
As you will be aware I have been trying to do some work specifically in health and safety and farming. The background is that the unfortunate record of farming is that in 1998 for example 40% of all fatalities in this country were involved in farming situations/locations, which means that less than 10% of the working population account for 40% of the fatalities, a 4:1 ratio. The fatalities data for the previous 7/8 years is not substantially different. Data on injuries is not very reliable given the very low level of injury reported but I have no reason to think that that would be in anyway significantly different.
This is clearly unacceptable and has forced me to look in detail at agriculture as a key industry deserving attention from the health and safety perspective.
One of the more shocking findings was that as far as I am aware there is virtually no reference in any of the many grant schemes in the context of C.A.P. and more recently R.E.P.S. to any obligation or requirement from a health and safety perspective, in other words the entire thrust of European Union policy is directed towards the economic production of food, the reduction of production of food the protection of the environment, etc. but there is not as there clearly ought to be over riding and comprehensive criteria set for health and safety of the farmers, their families and their workers.
I would have thought that your group which is looking ahead would be in a position to take this particular point on board in your thinking. I have had some initial discussions with DGV and have put in a proposal to them for research into both the factual situation regarding health and safety as well as attitudes towards this subject amongst farmers. I have separately talked to DGVI and drawn their attention to in particular to the R.E.P.S. scheme which while covering a very large number of farmers in Ireland again has no reference to health and safety requirements. DG VI have expressed concern and have agreed to consider the matter.