Action area II

At risk agriculture workers

Greater numbers of workers from diverse backgrounds present unique safety risks due to varying levels of literacy and numeracy, age and experience. Factors that increase their exposure to harm include poor English language skills, being vulnerable to exploitation, and valuing job security over health and safety. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the growing use of labour hire could contribute to increased risk.

The Roadmap has identified four at-risk groups:

• workers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• migrant workers
• young workers (14-25)
• workers engaged through labour hire organisations.

SafeWork NSW has committed to conducting research and engagement with stakeholders to better understand the work health and safety challenges faced by these at-risk worker groups and inform the development of initiatives to improve the health and safety outcomes.

Initial challenges will be further considered with the agricultural sector.

SafeWork NSW has committed to conducting research and engagement with stakeholders to measure improvements in health and safety outcomes for at-risk workers. Findings will be used to inform initiatives to increase the safety of at-risk workers.

Quad bikes

Quad bikes are a leading cause of deaths and serious injuries on farms, mostly from being crushed by an overturned machine or head injuries from not wearing helmets. Children and older people are most at risk.

SafeWork NSW and industry agree to promote:

• safer vehicles on-farm ie side-by-side vehicles (SSVs)
• retrofitting engineered operator protective devices (OPDs) to existing quad bikes
• the availability of helmets for on-farm use and the importance of wearing them
• the need for training and its benefits regardless of experience
• following of manufacturer’s instructions (eg appropriate fitting of accessories and load limits)
• that no child under 16 operates or ride as a passenger on adult size quad bikes.

SafeWork NSW will:

• work with state and federal agencies to work towards the introduction of a consumer safety rating system for quad bikes and SSVs
• promote the need to wear helmets
• work with emergency services to collect information to support harm prevention strategies
• work with the supply chain
• work with NSW Health to increase correlation of notification data.

We will know we are on track if:

• worker deaths and serious injuries from quad bikes decline by 20% and 30% respectively by 2022 using agricultural specific baseline data (2011/12 to 2015/16)
• percentage of farm quad bike operators who have completed accredited training increases (20% by 2020 and 50% by 2022)
• farm quad bike operators who wear helmets increase (20% by 2018, 60% by 2020 and 90% by 2022)
• the number of farms using SSVs compared to quad bikes continues to increase according to a market research data where available
• dealerships that demonstrate systematic support for safe purchasing decisions continue to increase.

I was in a quad bike crash that could have cost me my life. I hit a piece of wood hidden in the long grass. The quad bike rolled over the top of me, injuring my hip, shoulder, wrist and ribs. Luckily I am alive today, but the incident continues to impact my life and work on the farm. After all of this, we purchased a side-by-side vehicle (SSV). In hindsight, I wish I had done this 10 years ago. The SSV hascut down the use of our quad bike and thanks to its versatility, it is now the vehicle of choice on our farm.

Mental health

Living and working in isolation, challenging financial and environmental factors and poor access to support services contribute to poor mental health.

The impact and consequence of mental health issues is borne not only on the farmer, but by family and friends as well. Preventing and managing the risk factors is an essential part of staying safe and productive.

SafeWork NSW has released the NSW workplace mental health capability benchmarking tool and Survey report, which includes baseline data specific to the agricultural sector based on their capability to create mentally healthy workplaces.

In November 2017, a summit of mental health experts will co-design the Mentally healthy workplaces in NSW strategy 2022 and Work program 2018-22.

SafeWork NSW will:

• work with other agencies and rural mental health networks to find practical ways to support preventive and educational mental health activities, with particular focus on remote and isolated agricultural communities
• undertake a further survey of agricultural businesses to establish a baseline for this sector
• implement relevant actions from the strategy, to create mentally healthy workplaces for agricultural communities.

We will know if we are on track if:

• agricultural businesses move from one level of the tool to the next.

Working with animals

The unpredictability of livestock, inexperienced workers, interactions during husbandry practices, loading and unloading livestock, and inadequate or poorly maintained yards, races, gates and crushes, are leading causes of harm.

SafeWork NSW and industry agree to:

• support industry to develop and promote case studies on innovative solutions to manage the risks of injury to farm workers and livestock carriers while loading and unloading livestock
  • support the awareness of Q fever and zoonosis
• promote the need and benefits of training in safe animal handling practices for all farm workers, particularly inexperienced workers
• promote the requirement to ensure yards, races, gates and crushes are maintained and incorporate good safe design principles (eg escape routes)
• support the equine industry in embedding the Code of practice managing risks when new or inexperienced riders or handlers interact with horses in the workplace
• work with emergency services to collect information to support harm prevention strategies.

We will know we are on track if:

• major claims caused by being hit by an animal drop 20% by 2022 using baseline data specific to the agricultural sector 2011/12 to 2015/16
• well-equipped and maintained yards, races, gates and crushes identified during SafeWork NSW site visits increase over time.

Falls from heights

The main cause of death and injury are falls from silos, windmills, buildings, and farm machinery during maintenance and harvest activities.

SafeWork NSW and industry agree:

• SafeWork NSW will engage with manufacturers to ensure new silos are designed to incorporate ground level working devices to reduce the need to work at heights
• industry, supported by SafeWork NSW, will initiate a communications strategy to raise awareness of the risks of working at heights and the various controls to minimise risks
• SafeWork NSW will engage with manufacturers to ensure that machinery is designed and equipped to eliminate or significantly reduce fall risks associated with access during maintenance or harvest operations.

We will know if we are on track if:

• by 2018, 100% of all new silos for sale are fitted with ground level working devices, minimising the need for work at heights
• silos on farms with ground level working devices and/or working at heights risk controls fitted increases when inspected during SafeWork NSW site visits
• by 2022, serious claims caused by falls from heights drop 30% using agricultural specific baseline data (2013/14 to 2015/16).

Electric shocks/electrocutions

Contact with overhead power lines by harvesters, grain augers, field bins and irrigation equipment continues to be a problem. Workshops, shearing sheds, pump and generator facilities are often not fitted with residual current devices (RCDs) commonly known as safety switches.

SafeWork NSW and industry agree to:

• promote mandatory requirements for earth leakage protection devices (ELPD’s), also referred to as RCD’s, to be fitted to electrical circuits or portable type to be used in conjunction with plugin type equipment that is used in farm workshops and other infrastructure.

SafeWork NSW will:

• engage with energy providers to develop and promote safe practices and the use of visual aids to avoid contact with overhead power lines and develop education tools that highlight typical farming risks and practical solutions.

We will know if we are on track if:

• RCDs fitted to farm infrastructure where required (inspected during SafeWork NSW site visits) increases over time
• overhead power line strikes by agricultural machinery, as reported by energy providers decreases over time.

Hazardous chemicals

Exposure during decanting, mixing or general application of chemicals as well as poor storage can lead to injury and illness. Lack of information may also be contributing to harm.

SafeWork NSW will:

• work with state and federal agencies to identify chemicals that are posing the highest risk to farm workers and improve communications of their health risks and better controls
• engage with regional farm chemical manufacturers, importers and suppliers to ensure that they are meeting their obligations when supplying to farms
• in partnership with other government agencies and community organisations collectively identify and address gaps in industry guidance materials for the farming community related to safe chemical selection, storage, handling, use and disposal.

We will know we are on track if:

• manufacturers, importers and suppliers who are meeting their obligations identified during SafeWork NSW site visits increase
• farms that have compliant storage, handling, use and disposal practices in place identified during SafeWork NSW site visits increase
• the number of manufacturers, importers and suppliers that area aware of and complying with Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) obligations increases.

Machine guarding

Power take off (PTO) shafts, auger intakes, harvesting machinery and post drivers are a major cause of harm and injury.

SafeWork NSW and industry agree to:

• raise awareness of the need to manage the risks associated with farm machinery with a focus on augers, PTO’s, and post drivers
• promote best practice solutions.

SafeWork NSW will:

• engage with suppliers to ensure that plant and equipment sold for use on farms is safe
• use its powers to require PTO shafts and intakes augers are adequately guarded and roll over protection structures (ROPs) are fitted to tractors and other mobile plant.

We will know we are on track if:

• agricultural plant and equipment for sale in dealerships by 2022 is found to be meeting appropriate guarding standards when inspected
• there is an increase in the number of farms that are compliant in relation to the management of harms associated with PTO shafts and intake augers.

Diseases

The health and safety of farmers and farm workers can be impacted by diseases spread by animals and sun exposure.

SafeWork NSW and industry agree to:

• promote practical on-farm sun safety and controls for diseases spread by animals, for example Q fever.

SafeWork NSW will:

• look for opportunities to partner with other government agencies and industry organisations to talk to farmers about these issues, with particular focus on remote and isolated agricultural communities.

We will know we are on track if:

• participation in the NSW Skin Cancer Prevention Working Group with a focus on rural and remote areas increases year on year.