Membership Benefits

Exclusive Discounts for ICSA Members 

Join ICSA Today

An Association of Farmers for Farmers

Free HSA ‘Farm Safely with Slurry’ Short Course Now Available Online

Feb 23, 2015 | General News | 0 comments

The Health and Safety Authority has today (Monday 23 February) launched a free short online course entitled ‘Farm Safely with Slurry’ aimed at farmers on its e-learning portal http://hsalearning.ie. The short course provides farmers with an opportunity to increase their awareness of the dangers associated with slurry and how to prevent accidents occurring to themselves and to others. Drowning and gas poisoning are two major health and safety problems associated with slurry, and children and the elderly are at particular risk.

Chief Executive, Martin O’Halloran said: “In 2014 there were 30 fatalities in the Agriculture sector and this represented roughly 55% of all work related deaths in 2014. With the slurry spreading season underway farmers need to raise their awareness levels and remain vigilant to the risks involved in spreading slurry.”
The online course is a mixed media production delivered by video. Darragh Mc Cullough of RTE’s ‘Ear to the Ground’ delivers the course content and reinforces key learning points throughout. Expert interviews are provided by Pat Griffin, HSA Senior Inspector Agriculture, and by Dr Shane Farrelly, Occupational Physician.

On successful completion of this 30 minute course farmers will be able to:
• identify the best times and conditions for spreading slurry,
• recognise the need to plan ahead and make appropriate preparations to work safely,
• recognise the dangers associated with slurry,
• implement the appropriate control measures to prevent accidents when working with slurry,
• find farm safety information available from the Health and Safety Authority.

Education Manager with the HSA, Joanne Harmon said: “Farmers can access this short course online, free of charge in their own homes and in their own time. You can visit and revisit the course at any stage to ensure you remain up to speed on best practice and fully aware of the risks involved in spreading slurry.”
Short courses are available in a range of sectors including: construction, education and healthcare and for students at primary, post-primary and further/higher education. Courses for small businesses and transport are coming soon.

To see the range of HSA courses on offer, browse and/or register at http://hsalearning.ie

Share Socially

All

Latest

CONVENING OF NFFSC MUST KICKSTART EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO WEATHER RELATED DIFFICULTIES FACING FARMERS

ICSA president Sean McNamara has said the convening of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) tomorrow must kick start an emergency response to the ongoing difficulties facing farmers amidst continuing heavy rainfall. “With any hope of an early spring well and truly dashed and any fodder reserves dwindling fast it is clear this committee needs to rapidly reassess the current situation on the ground, including the extent of the fodder shortages and the impact of continued wet weather on farming operations,” he said.

Livestock Prices

Latest