The 2015 theme for Farm Safety Week is ‘SAFE FARMS = BETTER PRODUCTIVITY’ and targets practical issues that farmers can take to improve safety and health for themselves, their workers and family members.

“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 Charlie Armstrong.  “As an industry we have been improving our safety record, with reductions in the number of farm injury deaths approaching 60% over the past two decades. However, we still need to do more.”

“Having safety as a major aspect of our business will not only reduce risks to those who work and live on our farms, it will also improve our bottom line. Even non‐fatal injuries can have major cost implications on things such as delays in harvest, damage to equipment and downtime needed to recover from injuries.

“We want to see every farm across Australia take steps to improve safety each and every day.” Other practical steps that farmers can take to have safety as a core value include:

• Have a safety plan in place that identifies potential hazards and takes action to fix them.
• Make sure all new workers, including contractors, are inducted onto your property.  Try the free Farmsafe induction app, which is available on Google Play or iTunes store.
• Always be on the look‐out for new hazards and fix them as soon as possible.
• Set clear safety procedures for risky work.
• Make sure everyone who works on the farm understands and uses your safety procedures.
• Have an emergency plan in place in case there are any incidents.

“We want farming to be both profitable and safe, and we can do both if safety is promoted as a core value for your business” stated Charlie.  

“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.”

Further information on the free safety induction app and Farm Safety Week can be found at the Farmsafe website or by contacting the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety (02) 6752 8210 or your state Farmsafe group.

Source: Farmsafe.org.au, 15 July 2015