The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has launched Farm Safety Week 2021, which coincides with its annual ‘Avoid Harm on the Farm’ poster competition.

This child-safety poster competition encourages children to recognise the dangers on farms and to illustrate a farm-safety message, according to the HSENI.

The HSENI has reiterated the point that farmyards are busy workplaces and children are more at risk during the long school summer holidays as they spend more time on the farm.

All too often, children have access to the entire farm and view it as one big play space. Children must be taught about farm dangers and be kept away from the risks, said the HSENI.

HSENI CEO, Robert Kidd, said:

"I would ask our farming families to think about the risks and put simple, practical measures in place to make sure their children are safe at all times.

"I would encourage parents to help their children identify dangers associated with silage harvesting, slurry operations, and illustrate to us their ideas for safety.

“Encourage your children to enjoy the farmyard, but remember, their young age, lack of maturity and experience could potentially expose them to dangerous situations.”

This competition has been running successfully for a number of years the closing date for the competition is June 30, 2021.

Children can enter a drawing on any topic related to farm safety.

HSENI will be issuing a social media post each week for the next four weeks to remind children to get their entries in.