The Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) is urging farm families to visit its stand at the Balmoral Show this week to learn more about the steps they should take to protect their children from serious and potentially fatal farm accidents.
Farms are high-risk work environments where children can be exposed to hazards and dangers, including moving vehicles, heavy machinery, or animals, according to the HSENI.
HSENI deputy chief executive, Bryan Monson said: “With the good weather and school holidays approaching we will see children spending more time outdoors and on the farm. Helping out and learning are all part of growing up on farms but with that comes more risk and a greater responsibility to keep them safe at all times,
“Sadly, in Northern Ireland we have seen children being seriously injured or killed on farms in preventable accidents.
“It is vital our farm families take the time now to assess the risks and put clear rules in place to keep their children safe,” Bryan added.
The deputy chief executive has encouraged parents and carers to visit the HSENI stand at the Balmoral show, and to meet the experts and get practical advice on keeping children safe on the farm.
The HSENI’s key safety reminders include:
- To have a safe play area for young children.
- To prevent children from playing in or around farmyards and livestock.
- To always know where children are and to supervise them when they are helping out.
- That children under 13 years must not drive or ride on tractors and farm machinery, including quads.
- To always keep children well away when mixing slurry.
The HSENI will be at stand EK92 in the Eikon Centre from Wednesday 14 – Saturday 17, May at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Lisburn.
HSENI
Last month, April 2025, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) launched an open call for farmer safety, health and wellbeing projects.
The project launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon and Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety, Michael Healy-Rae has been dedicated funding of €2.5 million under the farm safety budget for this year.
The projects will support and promote best practice and bring about behavioural change to minimise the risks to the safety, health, and wellbeing of everyone on farms, including farmers, workers, farm families and visitors.
