General News
17 July, 2024
Farmer pushes for safety regulations
A Wimmera farmer is eager to promote a farm safety plan which he believes will cut agricultural workplace deaths.
Ross Johns is calling for uniform national WorkSafe regulations, and notification to all farmers and farm managers within two weeks of all farm-related serious incidents, hospitalisations, near misses and deaths.
The agricultural industry employs two per cent of Victoria's workforce but results in 14 per cent of workplace fatalities.
It also accounts for about $80 billion or 20 per cent of Australia's exports.
"A farmer is three times more likely to die in their job than workers in any other industry," Mr Johns said.
Mr Johns, from Crymelon, has renewed his efforts to promote his safety plan following the tragic deaths of three district farmers in close succession earlier this year - one of whom was a close friend.
Mick Morcom, 61, died at his farm on February 23 when a large self-propelled auger tipped, killing him instantly.
Mr Johns said most deaths on farms involved mobile plant and farm vehicles, but this outcome could be lowered with a few administrative changes as the current system of blaming or allocating legal responsibility after a workplace death or serious incident was not an effective deterrent.
Mr Johns believes publicity following a death is too late.
"Employ the three best occupational health and safety officers in Australia to oversee a team of agricultural liaison officers," Mr Johns said.
"Establish a national Australian Farm Safety Bureau to investigate and collect information on every agriculture-related fatality, hospitalisation and near miss.
"Then issue Safety Alerts to every farm owner and farm manager in Australia within two weeks of the incident.
"Quality information to people capable of taking action to substantially reduce the risk will benefit government, agriculture, insurance companies and individuals involved in agriculture."
Mr Johns estimates a budget of $50 million funded jointly by industry and government would cover the costs of such a program.
He said employers had a duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 to provide and keep a safe working environment that is without risks to health, provide and maintain safe plant and work systems that are safe and without risk to health, and to provide employees with information, instruction, training or supervision.
It was also necessary to identify workplace hazards.
Mr Johns said his talks with BHP worksafe team revealed that workplace safety information was collected on a no-blame basis in order to reduce further risk to its 80,000 employees.
Mr Johns is a long-time VFF member, and a former member of the Australian Barley Board and Grain Research and Development Corporation.