Plant nurseries
Plant nurseries have specific health and safety challenges.
There are around 1800 workers in plant nurseries in NSW, part of a multi-billion dollar industry nationally. So anything we can do to improve safety for workers will benefit a lot of people.
The most common injuries affecting plant nursery workers are sprains and strains to the lower back and shoulders caused by manual handling.
These can be painful for the worker and each claim can cost the business an average of $5000.
If you work in extreme heat you may be at greater risk of associated health conditions. This video explains how you can remain safe when working in extreme heat.
Forklifts can be dangerous, especially in areas where there may be pedestrians. Watch this safety alert to reduce the risk to pedestrians.
To help workers and employers use chemicals safely, a new international system, the GHS (Glocally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling Chemicals was introduced on 1 January 2017. This video explains what the GHS means for you.
If a worker does get injured at work, you can help them with their recovery at work as this video explains .
Resources:
- Nursery and Garden Industry Association of NSW & ACT
- Manual tasks
- Managing heat and sun exposure
- Advisory visits
- $500 rebates
- Online webinars
Industry Associations:
- for farmers: National Farmers Federation (NFF)
- for commercial fish operations owners: Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
- for forest products growers and support: Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA)
- for agriculture and fisheries workers: Australian Workers’ Union (AWU)
- for forestry workers: The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU).