The new version of the free online safety tool, which allows small businesses to carry out risk assessments and create their own safety statements, now meets the needs of a range of agribusinesses including farm advisors, equestrian centres, horticulturalists and slurry contractors.

All employers, including small businesses and the self-employed, are legally obliged to have a written safety statement. With over 30,000 registered users, BeSMART.ie is growing constantly and is available for the agribusiness sector for the first time.

According to Martin O’Dea, HSA senior inspector, “Through our BeSMART.ie tool we are providing ways for agribusinesses to reduce costs while encouraging them to take ownership and control of safety and health management in their business. Evidence suggests that the average cost of using a third party to develop a safety statement can be up to €1,500.”

The free BeSMART.ie Agribusiness online tool is available now at www.besmart.ie. It is designed for businesses ranging from agricultural contractors, equestrian centres, farm advisors, farm machinery repair services, horticultural consultants, market stalls, poultry farmers and silage, slurry, spraying and tillage contractors. Farmers have access to www.farmsafely.com – a specialist free online tool to help farmers.

Martin O’Dea, HSA Senior Inspector, co-launched the BeSMART Agribusiness tool earlier this year with Ged Nash, Minister for Business and Employment.