THE event brought together safety specialists, investigators, emergency responders and industry representatives.

For those who couldn't attend, here are some of the key messages and practical takeaways from the day.

Opening the forum, WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North acknowledged the vital contribution agriculture makes to Western Australia's economy and regional communities but reminded attendees that farming continues to be one of the State's most hazardous industries.

Ms North spoke about WorkSafe's Agriculture Team's extensive work this year with a significant educational focus, helping farmers and businesses to understand their safety obligations.

This year the team has travelled to Esperance, five agricultural colleges and three secondary schools, the Pilbara region, conducted inspections in the orchard sector, and their engagement with industry will continue throughout the year and into 2027.

Ms North noted upcoming regulatory changes to workplace exposure standards for hazardous substances and reminded everyone of the need to report incidents.

Ms North finally encouraged attendees to subscribe to WorkSafe's Farm Safety News Alerts on the WorkSafe website.

All farmers hope never to experience a serious workplace incident, but understanding what happens if one occurs can help remove some of the uncertainty.

Linda Carter, Manager Investigations in WorkSafe's Regional Team, provided a behind-the-scenes look at the investigative process.

Ms Carter first explained exactly what is defined as a workplace, a worker and other persons in the workplace, and what constitutes a notifiable incident — a fatality, serious injury or illness.

She then explained exactly what happens when a WorkSafe investigator attends the scene of an incident and the investigative actions that follow.

Rebecca Harris, Acting CEO of WorkCover WA, then addressed the forum on workers compensation and injury management.

Ms Harris revealed that the cost of claims in the WA agriculture industry division was $40.5 million in the 2024–25 financial year.

Ms Harris also shared practical steps farmers can take to reduce their workers compensation costs, including investing in effective safety systems and speaking with their insurer to ensure they are receiving the most appropriate premium rate.

She emphasised the importance of understanding exactly what insurance cover is in place, noting that workers compensation is sometimes mistakenly assumed to be included in broader business insurance packages.

Farmers were encouraged to check their arrangements carefully to ensure they have the coverage required under the law.

Justin Fonte, Head of Growth and Innovation at St John WA then presented an interesting look at serious farm incidents from the perspective of the ambulance lens.

He emphasised that bystanders save lives and that is it important that they recognise an emergency and activate the response, provide immediate first aid and use emergency equipment if available before an ambulance arrives.

Having the right equipment in the right place, such as a defibrillator or adrenaline auto-injector (e.g. EpiPen), can be a lifesaver.

Mr Fonte then gave a statewide analysis of farming-related ambulance incidents from 2023 to 2025, including response locations and cases by priority and year.

Trauma is the largest single cause of farm-related ambulance demand in WA, accounting for 46.9% of ambulance cases attended by St John WA, and vehicle incidents are the most common cause of trauma.

After morning tea, WorkSafe Agricultural Team Senior Inspector Geoff Kennedy focused on one of the most practical topics of the day: what an effective farm safety system looks like.

He encouraged farmers to systematically review everyday tasks, identify hazards, assess risks and implement practical control measures.

He then mapped farm hazards relating to plant and machinery, vehicles, augers, hazardous chemicals, the farm itself and animals.

He explained the hierarchy of controls and discussed personal protective equipment, worker inductions and ensuring workers are trained and understand all safety instructions and measures.

Visitors and contractors also need to be protected from harm and should be able to see clear signage at your gate, be advised of any biosecurity risks, given an induction and safety briefing and, if children are visiting, they need to be constantly supervised.

An industry panel, comprised of SafeFarms WA's Projects and Membership Manager David Sulivan, Westpork Workplace Safety and Environment Manager Mike Littlely, Winemaker at Frankland Estate Elizabeth Smith and Rockhill Farming farmer and Chair Potato Growers Association WA Bronwyn Fox, shared practical experiences from their own operations.

Panel members discussed the challenges of maintaining safety while managing the demands of modern farming businesses.

Throughout the day, speakers highlighted that investing in safety protects what matters most: the people who work, live and visit Western Australia's farms, while also reducing the financial impact of injuries and incidents.

Through planning, training, consultation and continual improvement, farmers can reduce risks and create safer workplaces for workers, family members, contractors and visitors alike.