Grains

Everything for the grains industry in one place.

Safety alert

Farmer fatally crushed after jumping from tractor cabin

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

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

News and alerts

Friday 12 June 2026

WorkSafe has charged the operator of a Gippsland farm after a worker died while operating a bale wrapper in November 2024.

Tuesday 09 June 2026

WorkSafe has charged a Mildura almond processor after a worker was seriously injured when he was struck by a forklift in July 2024.

Friday 15 May 2026

A dairy farmer has died after a quad bike rollover on a property in Cudgewa, north-east Victoria, yesterday.

Grains

Safety alert

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

Safety, it does more

than keep you safe.

News and alerts

Charges following farm machinery death

Almond grower charged over forklift injury

Farmer dies after quad bike rollover

Information

Services

About WorkSafe

Contact