The Health and Safety Authority is hoping a course aimed at improving safety around tractors for teenagers will prevent a tragedy from happening.
The course, which teaches participants about carrying out safety checks on a tractor and raises awareness of the dangers of driving farming machinery, takes place in schools around the country.
The HSA runs the course in partnership with Farm Relief Services.
The programme is aimed at students aged between 14 to 16. The age limit to drive a tractor on the road in Ireland is 16 and 14 years old on a farm, having first taken a formal training course.
"This is an off-road safe tractor driving course. It's the only one of its kind in the country," said Jim Dockery, Health and Safety Manager with Farm Relief Services Network.
"We set it up in 1996 when there were quite a number of children killed on Irish farms.
"We felt there was a need to set up a programme for this age group. It involves the basic simple operation of the tractor and a trailer behind it as well.
"We start with the basics - getting up and down off the tractor properly, doing the daily checks on the tractor like oil, water and diesel and then when you sit on the seat, adjusting the mirrors, the seat," Mr Dockery added.
"In modern tractors, it's a bit like driving an airplane. Once the students are familiar with the controls, we start the driving skills.
"We look in detail at how accidents happen with tractors on farms and, very often, it's the danger of the person on the ground. So, we stress to the students how you are responsible for the people on the ground."
The HSA is investigating the deaths of nine people in work-related incidents so far this year. Three of the deaths happened on farms.
"Farm vehicles are the biggest cause of farm fatalities in this country so it's absolutely critical that young people get proper training from the very start," said Pat Griffin, Senior Inspector for Agriculture Safety with the HSA.
"These days machinery is getting bigger, so you have large machinery in small farmyards and operators of this machinery have to be well trained, know what they're doing and know the risks around the farmyard," Mr Griffin added.
"With this course, students learn the good principles and it sets them up for life. By providing students with professional training, you are giving them the information and confidence."
As we approach the start of silage and hay season, the HSA is hoping this course will help prevent a tragedy on a farm over the summer.
At St Brendan's Community school in Birr, Co Offaly this week, 26 students received their certificates for completing the course.
Among them, 16-year-old Alannah Dooley from Clareen.
"We contract rear calves, so we take them in off dairy farmers and rear them for two years and, before they calve again, we give them back to the farmer and on the side I've a few sheep that I look after myself," she said.
"The course gave me more of an insight into how things that you think are small could impact you in a big way, if you're not being careful," Alannah added.
"Every machine is different. If I was to get out of my own tractor and into someone else's, well you need to take a minute to get used to it.
"Last thing you want is an accident and it being on you. Between young people thinking they know everything and older people thinking they know everything; it needs to put out there about the importance of farm safety."
Celine Guinan, a fifth year student, also completed the course.
"I come from a farming background, sheep and beef. I've learned more about the mechanics of the tractor. I've a younger sister and it's important to keep others safe," she said.
Student Declan Ganley works part-time for a contractor on a dairy farm.
"It has helped knowing lots more about safety and gave me more insight into hazards on farms," he said.
Principal at the school, John Kennedy, said the course provides students with vital information which helps improve safety for everyone on the farm.
"We're a real rural school. Around 50% of our students are involved in farming either directly or indirectly so every year this is the one message we try to get out to students before they go home for the summer," he said.
"A lot of the students are already working for contractors, so it's important we give them the tools to make the right decisions when they're out on the farm," he added.
