National Farm Safety Week to focus on innovation
Campaign to raise awareness on farm safety to run from July 16 to 22According to SafeWork Australia, the agricultural industry is one of the most dangerous sectors to work in, having recorded the highest fatality rate of any Australian industry between 2010 and 2014.
Heavy machinery or vehicles such as tractors and quad bikes account for over 75 per cent of workplace deaths while other causes involve animals, accidental shooting and so on.
Farm safety is of utmost importance but is often overlooked due to complacency or simply because farmers are often under pressure to deliver more in a day and do not have time to implement safety measures where required.
To raise awareness on the issue, Farmsafe Australia is making July 16 to 22 this year its National Farm Safety Week with the theme of “Innovative, Safe and Healthy”.
The campaign will focus on innovative ideas around farm safety, as well as other topics including keeping children safe on farms, and safety around quad bikes, which has been a hot topic among rural communities and government bodies of late.
“Farm safety is something that we often take for granted, of course no one wants to be injured or see others injured,” said Farmsafe Australia Chairman, Charles Armstrong.
“As an industry, we have been improving our safety record, with overall reductions in the number of farm injury deaths approaching 60 per cent over the past two decades. However, we still need to do more.”
He said as farms move to adapt to an increasingly digital landscape, on-farm technology now encompasses precision agriculture equipment as well as safety tools that will keep farmers and their family members safe.
“From digitised safety inductions using QR codes, to design improvements that make farm vehicles safer to operate, through to Personal Locator Beacons that sends a safety alert where something goes wrong in areas with no mobile reception, the possibilities are endless,” Armstrong said.
He added that technology, if implemented correctly, works well in complementing practical steps taken to ensure farm safety.
“When you are out on the farm, it is important to let people know where you are going and what time you expect to be back so that someone can come looking for you if you are injured,” he said.
“Devices that automate safety alerts when something goes wrong, such as a quad bike rollover can be the difference between help arriving on time, or too late.”
“Driving cultural change toward good safety practices in the industry also inspires innovative approaches such as empowering rural women to take a leadership role in change.
“Farm safety week is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate some of these achievements, while also reinforcing key safety messages,” Armstrong said.
“It’s about making sure that everyone involved in the farm gets home safe and sound at the end of each working day. That’s a good thing not just for our families but also our business and communities.”
Some practical steps to stay safe on farms, courtesy of Farmsafe Australia, include:
- Have a safety plan in place that identifies potential hazards and taking specific actions to fix these.
- Always be on the look-out for new hazards and fixing these as soon as possible once identified.
- Setting clear safety procedures for risky work.
- Making sure everyone that works on the farm, including contractors, understand and use the safety procedures in place.
- Having an emergency plan in case of any incidents.
For more information on National Farm Safety Week and useful tips on farm safety, visit farmsafe.org.au
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