The Emergency Medical Response charity Critical says farmers and those working in the agricultural sector often leave it too late to seek medical help.
The charity was speaking ahead of the National Ploughing Championships, which take place in Ratheniska, Co Laois, from 17 to 19 September.
Dr Mark Ruddy is a GP in Co Wicklow and is a responder with Critical. He said the first 10 to 20 minutes in any trauma are crucial to a person’s recovery.
“It could take a lot longer to get to a farmer either because they’re in a very remote area or they have no way of raising the alarm if something happens to them.
“And it’s not always the big machinery accidents, it could be a heart attack, stroke or seizure. Farmers often work alone, so by the time a responder gets to them, they could be a few hours into the trauma and that could mean a much longer time to recover.”
Mental health
The charity said that farmers can be reluctant to look for help because they may not have anyone else to keep the business going while they are receiving treatment, but it is also evident with mental health.
Critical will have a stall at the National Ploughing Championships and will be available to talk about concerns around farm safety or mental health, while there will also be a draw for a defibrillator for a community.
Consultant based in Mayo General Hospital and trustee of Critical Dr Lisa Cunningham added that issues with mental health are mainly being discussed among younger farmers.
“There are a lot of older farmers who bury their feelings in work,” she said.
“Very often, they feel like they might be a burden on someone or they may not have as many social outlets available to them where they can talk to other people and they just carry on without talking to anyone.”
Tips
Critical has a number of tips to help reduce the risks to a farmer’s health.
Go to your GP for a basic check-up.Expect the unexpected and treat all machinery with care - never operate machinery when sleep deprived or when you’re in a rush.Carry a mobile phone at all times so that you can call someone in the event of an accident happening.Carry a personal alarm.Install CCTV cameras. Put a plan in place so that someone can look after the farm if you end up sick or in hospital.
The Emergency Medical Response charity Critical says farmers and those working in the agricultural sector often leave it too late to seek medical help.
The charity was speaking ahead of the National Ploughing Championships, which take place in Ratheniska, Co Laois, from 17 to 19 September.
Dr Mark Ruddy is a GP in Co Wicklow and is a responder with Critical. He said the first 10 to 20 minutes in any trauma are crucial to a person’s recovery.
“It could take a lot longer to get to a farmer either because they’re in a very remote area or they have no way of raising the alarm if something happens to them.
“And it’s not always the big machinery accidents, it could be a heart attack, stroke or seizure. Farmers often work alone, so by the time a responder gets to them, they could be a few hours into the trauma and that could mean a much longer time to recover.”
Mental health
The charity said that farmers can be reluctant to look for help because they may not have anyone else to keep the business going while they are receiving treatment, but it is also evident with mental health.
Critical will have a stall at the National Ploughing Championships and will be available to talk about concerns around farm safety or mental health, while there will also be a draw for a defibrillator for a community.
Consultant based in Mayo General Hospital and trustee of Critical Dr Lisa Cunningham added that issues with mental health are mainly being discussed among younger farmers.
“There are a lot of older farmers who bury their feelings in work,” she said.
“Very often, they feel like they might be a burden on someone or they may not have as many social outlets available to them where they can talk to other people and they just carry on without talking to anyone.”
Tips
Critical has a number of tips to help reduce the risks to a farmer’s health.
Go to your GP for a basic check-up.Expect the unexpected and treat all machinery with care - never operate machinery when sleep deprived or when you’re in a rush.Carry a mobile phone at all times so that you can call someone in the event of an accident happening.Carry a personal alarm.Install CCTV cameras. Put a plan in place so that someone can look after the farm if you end up sick or in hospital. 
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