Farm contractor dies after falling from motorbike

It is believed the contractor was herding cattle when his motorbike struck a ditch. The incident is believed to have happened yesterday and the man’s body was found early this morning. WorkSafe investigators remain at the scene.

The man’s death brings to 20 the number of Victorians killed at work this year, compared to 24 for the same time last year. It is the 11th farm-related death in Victoria this year.

The latest tragedy has prompted WorkSafe to renew its plea to the farming community to make safety an absolute priority.

“Farming may be a high-risk occupation but no one should ever die simply doing their job,” said Marnie Williams, WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety.

“The horrendous toll should make everyone in agriculture think carefully about the risks involved in farm activities and plan accordingly.”

Ms Williams said farmers and other agricultural workers made up just 3 per cent of the Victorian workforce but – on average – made up 30 per cent of workplace fatalities every year.

“Farmers should never think that experience will prevent accidents. As we see year after year, it’s often experienced farmers doing everyday tasks that fail to come home at the end of the day.

“That’s why it is critical to take a few moments before the day gets underway to think about how to do each and every job safely.”