Cotton safety guide released
Offers tips on staying safe around harvesting machinery, as well as general health and safety guidelinesWorkplace health and safety (WHS) information publisher Pro-Visual has released the latest cotton safety guide outlining safe work practices in the cotton industry.
According to recent statistics by Safe Work Australia, the agricultural industry is one of the most dangerous sectors to work in, recording a total of 43 fatalities in 2014.
The Cotton Industry Guide to Safety 2016/17 covers a range of topics including:
- Risks of using harvesters and cotton pickers and relevant safety measures
- Quad bike safety
- Electrical risks related to overhead power lines
- Farm fire safety and injury management
- Using telehandlers to move and unload round modules
Pro-Visual also took into consideration the variations in safety regulations for each state and covered them in detail where relevant. For example, new WHS laws in New South Wales and Queensland eliminated the need for telescopic handler operators to obtain a High Risk Work License in order to carry out basic load shifting work.
In the guide, Pro-Visual also outlined essential steps in managing risk on cotton farms, namely:
- Seeing or identifying safety hazards on farms and related workplaces
- Assessing the nature and severity of risks
- Fixing or controlling those risks to manage safety
- Evaluating and checking the effectiveness of safety controls
- Recording and documenting the safety controls taken or planned
"Many incidents that result in serious injury or death on farms can be avoided with a little planning and training, a little extra cost and time to make the work safer," says Pro-Visual marketing manager, Deanna Davenport.
"Engage with workers and provide information in places where it is readily available. Utilise resources such as the Cotton Industry Guide and make safety a priority, not a chore."
This year's Cotton Industry Guide features a new component in the form of Augmented Reality (AR) content, in which users can obtain further information on relevant topics covered in the guide by scanning the AR codes provided.
Businesses involved in the cotton industry Australia-wide will receive the guides free of charge.
For further information, or to obtain additional copies of the guide, email marketing@provisual.com.au or visit www.provisual.com.au.
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