A joint campaign urging farmers to stay safe this summer, has been launched by the Irish Community Air Ambulance (ICAA) and Macra na Feirme. Farming accidents account for over 40 per cent of all fatal workplace incidents nationwide. July is the busiest month for the air ambulance, with road traffic accidents accounting for most of its call-outs.
The summer safety campaign comes ahead of the busy silage season, which combined with increased road traffic, more children moving about on farms, increases the chances of serious incidents the air ambulance being tasked to rural locations.Michéal Sheridan, head of the ICAA, said it is only the most serious incidents where patients have suffered significant trauma that the air ambulance is called and urged farmers to think of the risks as they go about their day.
“Our message is simple. Irish farms are a great place to land a helicopter – you just don’t want it to be our air ambulance,” added Mr Sheridan.
Macra president, John Keane, said farmers are aware of the many dangers on the farm and always endeavour to ensure these risks are mitigated.
“However, we know that accidents are going to happen in the weeks ahead, and we are appealing to people living in rural Ireland to stop and think about what they are doing, and whether it is safe,” he said.
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