A report published in September 2025 by the Injuries Resolution Board highlights the serious nature of accidents taking place on Irish farms. Covering the period from 2019 to 2024, the data shows how farm accidents are not only frequent but also more likely to result in severe injury than workplace accidents generally.
For anyone working in agriculture, visiting a farm, or employing workers in the sector, the findings are a reminder of the risks that continue to arise in day-to-day farm activity. They also underline the importance of taking legal advice where an injury has occurred.
More than 700 farm injury claims in six years
According to the report, the IRB received 709 personal injury claims related to farm accidents between 2019 and 2024. That is the equivalent of more than two claims every week. The report also recorded 11 fatal accident claims during the same period.
In 2024 alone, 108 claims were submitted. Of those, 67% involved injured workers, 30% involved visitors to farms, and 3% involved motorists on farm premises.
This points to a clear and continuing pattern. Farm accidents are not isolated events. They are a persistent feature of life and work in the agricultural sector, affecting both those employed on farms and members of the public who may be present on farm property.
Farm accidents are often more severe than other workplace injuries
One of the most striking findings in the report is the severity of injuries arising from farm accidents. In 2024, 24% of farm accident cases assessed by the IRB involved serious injuries. By comparison, 10% of workplace accident cases generally involved serious injuries.
That difference is significant. It suggests that, when accidents happen on farms, the consequences are often particularly serious and, in some cases, life-changing.
This will not come as a surprise to many people familiar with the sector. Farms are working environments with heavy machinery, livestock, moving vehicles, uneven surfaces, elevated work areas, and demanding physical tasks. When something goes wrong, the injuries can be substantial.
The most common causes of farm accidents
The report identifies a number of recurring causes behind claims arising from farm accidents. The most common were:
- Animal-related accidents, which accounted for 19% of all claims
- Contact with sharp, projected, or falling objects, which accounted for 17%
- Falls from one level to another, which accounted for 15%
- Slips, trips, and falls on the same level, which accounted for 13%
- Crushing injuries, which accounted for 13%
Animal-related incidents were the single largest category. Within that group, cattle accounted for 42% of animal-related accidents, followed by horses at 33%, dogs at 16%, and sheep at 4%.
These figures reflect the hazards that are specific to farm work. Livestock handling, moving equipment, and work in busy farmyards continue to pose real risks, even where tasks may seem routine.
The injuries most often reported
The report also sheds light on the types of injuries most commonly sustained in farm accidents. The leading injuries were back injuries at 13%, hand, finger, or thumb injuries at 12%, psychological injuries at 8%, and ankle injuries at 6%.
It is noteworthy that psychological injuries featured among the most common injuries identified. The report states that these injuries were most often associated with workers who reported bullying, harassment, physical abuse, or excessive work pressures on farms.
This is an important reminder that personal injury claims are not limited to visible physical harm. In appropriate cases, psychological injury may also form part of a claim, particularly where there has been a harmful working environment.
Who is most affected?
The report found that men accounted for 80% of all farm-related injury claims, while adults aged 55 and over represented nearly one in four cases. The largest single age group overall was those aged 35 to 44, who accounted for 23% of claims.
This highlights the particular vulnerability of older people in the sector. Older farmers and workers may be exposed to the same risks as younger adults, but with a greater likelihood of serious injury when accidents occur.
Compensation awards reflect the seriousness of these claims
The financial figures in the report further underline the severity of farm accident claims. Between 2019 and 2024, the IRB awarded more than €7.7 million in compensation for farm-related injuries. In 2024, the median award value was €34,802, while the average award value was €46,070.
The report notes that this is considerably higher than the median award value for other workplace injuries in 2024, which stood at €16,255.
The highest award during the period was €269,945, and it related to a fatal workplace accident on a farm.
These figures are a reminder that compensation values are closely linked to the seriousness of the injury, its long-term effect on the injured person’s life, and the particular facts of each case.
What these findings mean
The report is important because it provides clear evidence of a continuing pattern of serious accidents on Irish farms. It also shows that these accidents affect a wide range of people, including workers, visitors, and others lawfully on farm premises.
From a personal injury perspective, the findings reinforce several key points.
First, farms are workplaces, and employers owe duties to employees to provide a reasonably safe place and system of work.
Second, farm owners and occupiers may also owe duties to visitors who are injured because of unsafe conditions on the property.
Third, where an accident results in serious physical or psychological injury, the injured party may have grounds to pursue a claim, depending on the circumstances.
The message from the report is clear. Serious accidents on Irish farms are still happening with worrying regularity, and the impact on injured people can be profound.
Require legal guidance regarding a farm accident?
If you or a family member has been injured in a farm accident, it is important to get clear legal advice as early as possible. At McCarthy + Co Solicitors LLP, our personal injury team has acted for many clients working in the agriculture sector, helping them to secure fair compensation for injuries. We can guide you through the process, explain your options, and help you understand whether you may be entitled to bring a claim. Arrange a time to speak with a solicitor here using our quick and confidential online form.
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