The substantial drop in the number of deaths on Irish farms during 2002, from 24 to 13, has been welcomed by Mr Frank Laffey, the Teagasc health and safety specialist.
Mr Laffey said that while there could be no room for complacency, the overall reduction in deaths and, particularly, the drop in child fatalities, was most welcome.
Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, has been working with the farm organisations and the Health and Safety Authority to reduce the unacceptable level of deaths on Irish farms.
Provisional figures issued by the Health and Safety Authority showed that 57 people, including six children, died during 2002 in work-related accidents.
The figures showed that agriculture-related fatalities were almost halved, as were child deaths. There were no child deaths on construction sites, and workplace deaths were down by seven on last year. The authority said this represented a small decrease overall when compared to 2001. Mr Tom Beegan, director general of the authority, said there was no acceptable level of workplace deaths.
"The authority will continue its programme to ensure a national agenda in which workplace health and safety is given the attention it deserves," he said.
The traditionally high-risk sectors of construction and agriculture again claimed the majority of lives last year but the percentage of the two sectors combined decreased from almost 66 per cent in 2001 to 59.6 per cent in 2002.
Since 1995, when deaths on Irish farms hit a high of 28, awareness campaigns and the enforcement of health and safety regulations have helped reduce the toll.
Deaths fell to 12 in 1996, increased to 15 the following year and in 1998 climbed to 26. There was a slight decline to 23 in 1999 and a fall to 16 in 2000.