Injured farmer tells others to stop and think SAFE
Date published:
HSENI and the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP), are urging farmers to ensure this week’s key messages from Farm Safety Week will lead to lasting changes in behaviour on the farm.
Crumlin farmer Denis Minford, who was seriously injured in a farming accident that left him in a coma for three weeks has also given his support to Farm Safety Foundation’s (Yellow Wellies) annual campaign.
He urged other farmers to listen to the advice and take a moment to think about safety before starting every job.
“You never think it’s going to happen to you. We hear about farm accidents and feel great sympathy for those involved, but you never imagine that one day it will happen to you, or it will be your own family getting that call,” he said.
“The day of my accident started off like any other working day. Then within seconds everything changed. The injuries I suffered have had a lasting impact on me and my family. It really only takes one wrong decision, one split second of a distraction, climbing onto a roof or rushing to get a job finished before the weather changes. One moment when your attention slips and everything changes forever.
“Farmers please stop and think before every job and ask yourself ‘is there a safer way to do this’. Take a few extra moments to make sure you make the right decision that gets you home safely that night to your family. My experience lives with me to this day and it can be hard to talk about it but if sharing my story means one life is saved or one family never experiences what mine did, then that’s enough for me,” he added.
You can watch the Denis Minford Survivor Story on the HSENI YouTube at the following link:
HSENI’s Principal Agriculture Inspector Rachel Hamill, said Denis’ story is a stark reminder that serious injuries do happen during everyday farming tasks.
“This year Farm Safety Week is about recognising that behind the statistics and headline incidents is a person whose life and whose family’s life and business, can be changed in a heartbeat. Farming has the poorest safety record with working with vehicles, livestock, slurry and working at heights being the major risk areas.
“But the message is that farmers must stop and think safe. They must make safety a vital part of their every working day. This is a fabulous campaign to raise awareness of the dangers but that isn’t enough on its own, real challenge is to turn those good intentions and advice into safe habits that last long after the campaign has ended,” she added.
Stop And Think SAFE
- Slurry - lethal gases can cause death
- Animals - know the hazards of working with animals
- Falls - check before you climb
- Equipment - is it safe and ready for use?
Please see link below to view the Farm Safety checklist:
Notes to editors :
- Farm Safety Week 2026 runs from 20-24 July in the UK and Ireland. It is supported in Northern Ireland by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) and the Farm Safety Partnership (FSP).
- The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), is an independent registered charity working throughout the UK to address the attitudes and behaviours to farm safety and poor mental health in the next generation of farmers (under 40 years) with the aim of reducing the number of farmers and farm workers suffering life-changing and life-ending injuries in the workplace and making our farms safer places to work, to live and to visit.
- From 2015 - 2025 the cause of farming deaths were:
- equipment - 25
- falls/falling objects -15
- animals -14
- slurry - 2
- other - 1
- The Farm Safety Partnership’s ongoing ‘Stop and Think SAFE’ farm safety campaign focuses on the four main causes of death and injury on our farms – slurry, animals, falls, and equipment (SAFE). Farm Safety checklist
- For information on the FSP visit The Farm Safety Partnership.
- For media enquiries, please contact HSENI Press Office on 028 9024 3249 or email media@hseni.gov.uk. For out-of-office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.