SafeWork NSW is coming to Wingham next week as part of Beef Week to provide free advice to local farmers and agriculture businesses.
The visit is part of SafeWork’s Safer Communities, Safer Towns program which sees SafeWork inspectors provide advice and assistance on SafeWork NSW programs as well as workers compensation, injury management and recover at work programs.
The SafeWork NSW Team will be at Wingham Showground on Thursday, 12 May and SafeWork NSW Port Macquarie Principal Inspector, Rod Allen said safety in the beef cattle industry and quad bike safety would be a focus.
“The beef cattle industry is one of the State’s highest risk,” Mr Allan said.
“SafeWork NSW has been working closely with the industry over the last few years to develop products and incentives to help beef cattle farmers improve safety.
“Inspectors will be at Wingham Showground to provide face-to-face support on how to manage the major risks faced by the industry, including quad bikes and tractor safety, chemical safety and occupational disease, and child safety.
“Inspectors will also provide advice on how farmers and farm workers can meet their work health and safety and workers compensation obligations, and explain how injury management and recover at work programs can improve productivity.”
Mr Allan added that SafeWork NSW had teamed up with the farming industry to develop Alive and Well, a farm safety program that involved farmers that have experienced or narrowly escaped serious injury on their farms telling their story and giving other farmers advice on how to stay safe.
"Everyone in the farming community knows, when you can’t work, it affects you, the farm and everyone on it,” he said.
“By using real-life stories to highlight the devastating impact an injury can have, more farmers are improving safety.
“Importantly, they’re learning that it doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated to keep everyone on the farm safe.
“We’re excited to be part of Beef Week and encourage anyone wanting advice on how to make their farm or workplace safer to come and speak with us.”
Any farmer or business that speaks with SafeWork may be eligible for a rebate of up to $500 through SafeWork’s Small Business Rebate Program which can be used to purchase and install safety improvements. The SafeWork NSW Safety Van will be at Wingham Showground, Gloucester Road, Wingham from 10.00am – 3pm on Thursday, 12 May. To book an appointment with a SafeWork NSW inspector call SafeWork NSW’s Port Macquarie office on (02) 6588 7000.
Back to top