This National Farm Safety Week, SafeWork NSW is advocating for the state’s 81,000 agricultural workers to prioritise safety in their work operations, highlighting that safety should always come first. There has been a significant increase in reported agriculture industry safety incidents in New South Wales (NSW) over the years. In 2013, there were 149 cases, which alarmingly escalated to 358 by the year 2022.
Notably, there have been 34 agriculture-related fatalities from 2022 up to the current year. A disturbingly high number of these accidents, at least 10, have involved either quad bikes or side-by-side vehicles.
Farm related fatalities are most often caused by tractors, quad bikes, and machinery, but auger intakes and harvesting machinery are also major contributory factors to injuries. For instance, earlier in May this year, a worker carrying out maintenance on an auger unfortunately lost four fingers and part of his thumb when his hand became entangled after he removed the guard while the auger was operational.
SafeWork NSW provides a free advisory service to aid farmers in formulating an action plan covering safety issues. This service, incorporating essential WHS management systems like Bluesafe SWMS (Safe Work Method Statements), can qualify farmers for a $1000 safety rebate to facilitate farm improvements.
“Insist on safety first”, as SafeWork NSW puts it. Prioritise the use of Bluesafe WHS Management Systems to maintain safety at your workplace. If you want to acquire more knowledge about safety on farms, SafeWork NSW organises several learning resources.
Trent Curtin, the Head of SafeWork NSW, emphasised:
“Agricultural sector accounts for one-in-five workplace fatalities in NSW annually.”
“It is fundamental for business owners to ensure their workplaces are safe.”
“Maintenance of plant and equipment, consultations with your workers about safety, and ensuring everyone has the right gear to work safely is indispensable.”
In line with this Farm Safety Week, Curtin urges a focus on guaranteeing the safe execution of agricultural work and that workers return home safe at day’s end – “Remember it’s safety first.”
Original article link: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/news/safework-media-releases/farm-safety-shouldnt-cost-an-arm-or-a-leg