HortiSafe� = Farm Safety

"Safety is everyone's responsibility"

Occupational Health & Safety is a major issue for Australian agriculture. Work related injuries, payouts and fines threaten the viability of an industry already struggling to contain costs and retain qualified staff.

Fresh vegetables are supplied on very tight timelines, often under harsh and repetitive working conditions. This coupled with high worker turnover rates, increases the risk of workplace accidents.

The results of these accidents are often severe and irreversible.

• 10-14 people are killed on Victorian farms each year
  
  
• A person is fatally injured on an Australian farm every 3 days
  
  
• The vegetable industry reports over 13,000 hours in lost time injuries each year

• maintain a safe work environment for your workers, contractors and visitors and not expose other persons to risks to their health and safety from your activities.
  
  
• inform, train and supervise your workers and contractors to ensure they can work safely and without health risks.
  
  
• workers also have entitlements to compensation and rehabilitation.
  
  
• notify WorkSafe Victoria immediately on 132 360 of any workplace death or serious injury, or any incident that could have caused death or serious injury.

While there has been a continuing improvement over the last 10 years, there are still far too many workplace accidents. Increased civil and criminal culpability for those found blameworthy has made effective OH&S training and workplace risk management an essential part of every business.

Further Information:

• Hortisafe Occupational Health and Safety Programs for Vegetable Growers
  
  
• Traumatic Deaths in Australian Agriculture, RIRDC - 2007 (pdf, 687k)
  
  
• Health and Safety of Older Farmers in Australia, RIRDC - 2007 (pdf, 778k)
  
  
• Other Farm Health & Safety Reports , RIRDC (pdf, 1960k)