FARM families across the West of Ireland have again been urged to put health and safety on top of their priority list every morning that they get up out of bed, following the latest statistics on workplace related deaths for 2025.

Workplace deaths in the Republic of Ireland in the past year rose by 61% as compared to 2024 – 36 in ’24 and 58 in ’25 – according to the official figures released this week by the Health and Safety Authority [HSA].

The accident death toll on Irish farms in 2025 rose to 23, as compared to 12 in 2024, bucking a downward trend in workplace related deaths since 2020. Ten people died in construction related incidents last year.

Almost one third of those who died in workplace related accidents were aged 65 or over – the oldest was 88 – while almost all were self-employed.

Farming related deaths accounted for 40% of the total workplace fatalities in 2025, even though only 4% of the country’s total employment numbers work on farms.

The Chief Executive Officer of the HSA, Mark Cullen, said that the increase in work-related fatalities in 2025 was ‘deeply concerning’ with each death ‘a tragedy that left behind a devastated family’.

He added that while the workplace fatality figure for 2024 was the lowest ever [36], the increase in 2025 was ‘a stark reminder to employers and workers alike that they must stay vigilant and avoid complacency’ when it came to workplace safety.

“The fact that so many fatalities continue to involve machinery or vehicles, and falls from height, shows that well-known ‘incident triggers’ are not being adequately controlled.

“These are hazards that can be managed through proper risk assessment, forward planning and ensuring that all employees are fully aware of the need to prioritise safe working behaviour,” said Mark Cullen.

The big killers at Irish workplaces, including farming, in 2025 were: heavy loads and falls [14], being struck by vehicles [14], falls from heights [9], loss of control of vehicles [4], trapped by object [4], livestock [4], falls [3], drownings [2], loss of control of a machine [2], with two fatalities remaining to be officially classified.

The elderly age profile of farmers; the fact that they often work alone; their work with machinery and livestock; and often a DIY approach to repairing roofs etc., are all regarded as major contributory factors to the disproportionately high accident fatality rate with farmers.

Connacht IFA Regional Chair, Brendan Golden, told the Farming Tribune that one death in a farming accident was ‘one too many’ as he again appealed for a safety-first approach on every day that farmers went about their daily workload.

“The latest statistics on workplace deaths, and especially those involving farmers, are most concerning for all of us who work and live off the land.

“I know the message might be repetitive but we have to adopt a more determined approach to staying safe while working on our farms.

“We all know the basics but do we always adopt the safe approach for example with PTO guards and covers; with the handling of livestock; being aware of the dangers of working on roofs and heights; and ensuring that our tractors and machinery are all in good working order.

“The nature of farming in the West of Ireland does involve farmers working on their own most of the time, but for example, there are a lot of useful aids in terms of safe animal handling facilities, some of them grant-aided under the TAMS scheme.

“Anything that can help to improve safety on the farm has to be embraced – quite simply we are losing too many lives each year on Irish farms, deaths which leave a devastating legacy of trauma and terrible sadness,” said Brendan Golden.

He also said that it was timely as the New Year had arrived for farmers to be aware of the dangers that could be posed during a very busy time of the year on farms.

“We’re coming into the calving season – a time when farmers need to be acutely aware of the potential dangers. And from January 15th next, the slurry spreading season will begin for most farmers in the West. Be sensible with slurry – evacuate all animals from the shed before agitation and stay well away from the shed while this is going on.

“Also, I’m making a special appeal to farm families to be aware of the dangers posed by quads on their farms. Make sure anyone using quads completes the compulsory course and always wears a helmet – quads are potential killers,” said Brendan Golden.

Three counties – Dublin, Donegal and Cork – each had six workplace related deaths in 2025, with Galway having a provisional figure of three [yet to be confirmed].

For the coming year, the HSA has promised to deliver ‘a comprehensive programme of risk-based, evidence-led, workplace health and safety inspections across all sectors of the economy’.

“Those sectors that pose the highest health and safety risks [farming followed by construction] will be targeted with a range of enforcement, compliance and awareness raising interventions,” the HSA has stated.