ABP has congratulated John Buckley from Hamilton High School in Co. Cork for winning the ABP Farm Safety award at the 2023 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) on Friday (January 13).

Buckley's project - 'Investigation of a prototype tool belt to prevent musculoskeletal injuries in vets' - won him the award, which aims to reward innovative projects in the area of farm safety.

ABP Food Group has sponsored the farm safety category at BTYSTE for nine years. "The area of farm safety is a priority for ABP, and it is an issue that is still prevalent in Ireland today," it said.

Amie Coonan, of ABP's agricultural team, said Hurley exhibited an "innovative project" that has been "deservedly recognised with this year's Farm Safety award".

"I would like to thank all of the entrants who put forward projects this year. It has been truly inspiring to witness the amazing things that Ireland’s young people are capable of, and it has been very impressive to see how many of them are interested in seeking solutions for a major societal issue like farm safety.”

For his project, Buckley carried out research which revealed shoulder issues in 59% of 114 vets surveyed.

He found that the "unnatural motion" of removing tools from a standard vet’s belt, located around the waist, particularly in the course of repetitive tasks such as tuberculosis (TB) testing, is a likely contributor to shoulder pain and injuries in vets.

His newly designed vet tool belt, which is located around the thigh, aims to allow for minimised shoulder and arm movements, ensuring a quicker and more ergonomic action when reaching for the belt.

Buckley tested his new belt with a local veterinary clinic, which reported it was "much easier to use", "definitely minimises shoulder movement", and that it "will continue to use the belt from now on".

Aodhán McEntee, a specialist physiotherapist, said he believes Buckley's belt may reduce the risk of rotator-cuff overuse injuries.