Farmer stories

Simon Craig is a former consulting agronomist and now manages Lemac Farm, a broadacre grain and sheep farm in Kooloonong, Victoria. As part of our 'It's never you, until it is' campaign, Simon shares how a farm safety culture helps drive an efficient and successful business.

Agriculture

These are the most common injuries and hazards for people working in agriculture, as shown by injury claims. The agriculture sector includes arable and livestock farming, horticulture and nurseries.

Hazards

Hazard 1
Fatigue
Provide sufficient breaks and ensure there is water available.

Ensure employees are not exposed to repetitive work for long periods (eg by using job rotation, task variation) or work that requires a significant amount of high force.

Develop strategies for managing the impact of fatigue (eg develop a fatigue management system and train managers / team leaders how to effectively implement it).

Train employees how to recognise fatigue signs and symptoms.
Hazard 2
Heavy lifting
Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (lifter trolley or powered pruners for pruning, picking, harvesting and shearing, hydraulic arm for lifting or transporting animals and hay bales, platform as an intermediary step if loads need to be raised over shoulder height) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

For shearing, use drafting gates in the handling race to eliminate lifting, and ensure animals are held close to the body.

Order materials in smaller sizes (eg 20kg bags instead of 40kg bags). If using bigger sizes, use mechanical equipment only.

Train employees on how to safely use any mechanical equipment and aids, and on safe handling methods (eg work is done between shoulder and mid-thigh height with the elbows close to the body).

Clear the work area of any obstacles and set up tasks in a way they can be completed between shoulder and mid-thigh height to help maintain the back in an upright posture.

Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (eg back harnesses).
Hazard 3
Manual harvesting
Sharpen hand tools and ensure they are maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Regularly inspect and maintain equipment (eg ensure guards are secure and serviceable).

Provide suitable personal protective clothing and equipment (eg gloves, hats, eye protection).
Hazard 4
Slips trips and falls
Provide appropriate equipment (eg extension handles, platforms with support rails) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Ensure floor surfaces in work areas are kept dry and clear of clutter and obstructions.

Use plant and equipment that has service points that can be accessed from ground level.

Ensure employees use three points of contact when entering / exiting high vehicles.
Hazard 5
Using mechanical tools and equipment
Guard all moving machinery parts on equipment such as the tractor power take off (PTO), post hole diggers or bench grinders.

Guard entire length of PTO and couplings, and ensure guards are secured at all times.

Ensure employees remove all jewellery, tie long hair back, and wear appropriate clothing with no loose straps.

'If you are injured at work' poster

Employers must display an 'if you are injured at work' poster in every workplace. You can download and print a poster in English as well as Arabic, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Download a poster

Grains

Farmer stories

Agriculture

Hazards

Fatigue

Heavy lifting

Manual harvesting

Slips trips and falls

Using mechanical tools and equipment

'If you are injured at work' poster

It's never you.

Until it is.

News and alerts

Farm charged after fatal skid steer loader crush

Producers grow together to improve farm safety

Working towards a safer future for farming families

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