UPFRONT discuss

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Cultivating

SAFER FARMS 

TOGETHER

The combination of hazards and the nature of farm work makes agriculture one of the most dangerous sectors in which to work.

Words Gillian Carter, Team Leader Stakeholder Relations, Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety

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Bronwyn Walsh (WA Citrus), Mike Littley (Westpork) and Julie-Anne Wilheim (Greenacres Turf).

IMPROVING workplace health and safety outcomes in the agricultural sector is one of WorkSafe’s highest priorities and we continue to work towards implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Safety in the Agriculture Industry.

In 2024, WorkSafe rolled out a series of events and engagement activities to highlight our commitment to promoting work health and safety within the agricultural sector. This included attendance at agricultural field days, proactive education inspections designed to help farmers understand how to address the hazards specific to their farm under the guidance of our dedicated agricultural inspectors, and a pilot information and education session for farmers in Narrogin.

The culmination of those activities was a half-day agricultural safety forum held on Friday 25 October at Mantra Bunbury as part of Safe Work Month.

The Farm safety matters —agricultural safety forum was well attended, both in person and online, by industry specialists, educators, grower group representatives and members of the farming community.

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Presenters Jaime Rebelo (Director WorkSafe Industrial and Regional), Valerie Pretzel (WASIA), Craig Sullivan (WorkSafe Inspector), Geoff Kennedy (WorkSafe Senior Inspector), Lee Holland (Auschem), Sally North (WorkSafe Commissioner), Joseph Byrne (WorkSafe Inspector) and Tracy Blaszkow (KidSafe WA).

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Ross Anile (WA Stonefruit) and Jaime Rebelo (WorkSafe).

Forum topics

WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North welcomed attendees and introduced a program of topics presented by agricultural safety experts covering machinery guarding, quad bike safety, hazardous chemicals, electrical hazards, children on farms and safe sheds.

WorkSafe inspectors covered a variety of topics including electrical hazards associated with electrical power cords, fittings, machinery, tools and equipment, and portable generators; equipment maintenance, inspection and storage; and overhead power lines and power poles. As well as managing the risks of injury that come with using agricultural plant and machinery.

Quad bikes have become a popular vehicle on farms, but they are also the leading cause of fatalities on Australian farming properties.

The forum outlined the risks of quad bikes and sideby-side vehicles and gave practical advice on factors to consider when choosing the right vehicle for the task and launched the new agricultural video on “choosing the safest vehicle for the job”.

The mix of home, work and recreation on a farm creates a complex risk environment for children. It is not always possible to remove the risk, but adults must limit access to hazards for young family members, as well as farm visitors. Kidsafe WA offered valuable insights and advice to keeping children safe on farms.

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Craig Sullivan (WorkSafe) and Darryl McCart (Department of Education).

AusChem provided vital information for managing hazardous chemicals on farms, how to interpret safety data sheets and what to look for in weighing up the potential health hazards when choosing and handling chemicals.

WA Shearing Industry Association’s (WASIA) acclaimed shearing shed safety program, SafeSheds, was a feature in the forum and showcased a practical best practice guide to shearing shed improvements, equipment safeguards, and important processes and communication between wool grower and shearing team.

Attendees were encouraged to take the learning beyond the podium into the breaks and connect, collaborate and share ideas with others in the agricultural industry.

Want to know more?

A good place to get started is WorkSafe’s First steps to farmsafety:guide. This guide provides farmers with a foundation for establishing good safety practices on farms. The guide has been translated in Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese.

VideosoftheforumpresentationswillbepostedonWorkSafe’sdedicatedagriculturalhealthandsafetywebpages. These webpages also have information about your duties and responsibilities under work health and safety legislation, hazards in the industry, injury statistics, publications and safety alerts, and reporting incidents.

WorkSafe is now planning agriculture events for 2025, with a view to holding another forum during national Safe Farms Week in July.


MORE INFORMATION

Keep an eye on our farm safety news alerts to stay up to date with latest information about WorkSafe’s safety resources and events for the sector. You can subscribe here — www.commerce.wa.gov.au/worksafe/subscribe-worksafes-newsletters
You are also welcome to get in touch with the team at safetycomms@demirs.wa.gov.au with any questions.