The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) requires training for the use of machinery to ensure that workers including those in the agriculture sector are safe and competent.

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Alan Dillon has outlined in recent days the training that is required for the use of machinery on farms.

Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the General Application Regulations 2007, employers including those on farms, are legally obligated to provide adequate information, instruction, and training for all machinery and work equipment they use, the minister explained.

Section 8 of the 2005 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act requires employers including those on farms, to ensure that machinery is designed, provided and maintained so as to be safe and without risk to health.

The use of any machinery should be covered by a risk assessment in accordance with section 19 of this act.

Lifting equipment

The minister further explained: "More specific technical requirements are contained in Chapter 2 of the 2007 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations which deal with the use of work equipment.

"These regulations transpose the 'Use of Work Equipment' Directive into national law and also include the requirements for the statutory examination of lifting equipment.

These regulations set down the minimum requirements for machinery in use, including the requirement to ensure that it complies with the provisions of any relevant enactment implementing any relevant directive of the European Communities.

"Other parts of the General Application Regulations are also relevant to machinery safety such as those parts dealing with electricity, noise and vibration," Minister Dillon said.

Front loader training

The minister was responding to a parliamentary question from Galway East TD Peter Roche.

Deputy Roche asked the minister about requirements for farmers to undertake front loader training and the cost implications; and about the agricultural vehicles and machinery which are subject to a requirement where the training falls under construction industry certification.

He also asked the minister if he will seek a review of the cost, scope and suitability of this training for farmers.

Minister Dillon clarified that the HSA does not mandate construction industry certified front loader training for farmers.

"An industrial loader (loading shovel, front end loader) is an item of mobile work equipment," the minister said.

"There is a general requirement under the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to ensure that persons who operate work equipment in all workplaces including farms are trained, confident and competent in the use of work equipment, including operators of this type of work equipment.

"When an employer in the agriculture sector is deciding on the extent of training required for an operator of such a machine, they should recognise that training schemes for this type of machine is legislated for in other industries, such as quarrying and construction."

The minister said these training schemes can be used to "inform the fundamentals of training to be provided to an operator, operating this type of machine in all other work sectors, including on farms".

Minister Dillon said the HSA does not set training costs charged by private training providers or under industry schemes.

Danger

The minister added that unfortunately, farming "continues to be one of the most dangerous sectors in which to work in Ireland".

"The Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee in the HSA has published the Farm Safety Action Plan 2025–2027, which is being rolled out over the coming months and years," he said.

"The overall objective of the plan is to reduce the level of fatalities, serious injuries and ill health in the agriculture sector.

"The HSA will keep the arrangements for farm safety under ongoing review to ensure that working on farms is sustainable and safe for farm workers and their families."