There is a need to effectively measure if farm safety initiatives actually change farmers' attitudes and behaviours over time. Without a way to capture these shifts, it's difficult to know which approaches promoting farm safety, health, and wellbeing are truly making a difference.
Farmers4Safety developed a clear methodology for capturing attitudinal and behavioural change in farmers. It uses two surveys, one before the initiative (pre-evaluation) and one after (post-evaluation). These 10-15 minute surveys use a mix of question formats to gather comprehensive data. This approach addresses the challenge of quantifying the real-world impact of safety programmes.
This methodology provides a way to analyse the effectiveness of farm safety projects by comparing the "before and after" survey results. The results can highlight positive or negative changes, providing evidence to shape future recommendations and strategies. Its importance lies in ensuring that time and resources are invested in initiatives that demonstrably improve farm safety culture.
In Ireland, engagement with key safety tools like the Code of Practice Risk Assessment Document is inconsistent. A survey showed only 52% of farmers and 25% of service providers actively use it. This methodology offers a strategic tool for organisations to measure the success of programmes aimed at improving these engagement levels and tackling indifference towards farm safety.
This is relevant to farmers as it provides a proven way to measure the success of safety initiatives on their own farms or in discussion groups. The survey templates are available in the Farmers4Safety final report. Farmers and advisors can adapt these tools to assess and improve their own safety training and practices, helping to foster a stronger culture of health and safety in their community.
For more information, contact Leo at leo@erinn.eu.
