John Temperley

Agricultural Health and Safety Performance in Australia

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine the proportion of Australian farming enterprises with systems and processes that meet current regulatory and industry standards for health and safety. Data from 683 farming enterprises were drawn from a nationally stratified random sample representing seven commodity sectors: beef cattle, cotton, dairy, horticulture, grain growing, sheep, and sugar cane. Results indicated low levels of implementation for farm health and safety plans as well as induction for new workers and contractors. Improvements to control major safety hazards are required for farm machinery and implements, farm vehicles, reducing exposure of children to hazards, and the use of helmets when riding quad bikes, motorbikes, and horses. There were considerable variations between commodity sectors. There remains significant scope to enhance the safety of farmers in Australia.

Drivers of Adoption of Safety Innovations on Australian Cotton Farms

The Australian cotton industry has been a leader in the adoption of farm health and safety approaches in the Australian agricultural sector. In order to analyze factors associated with occupational health and safety performance, a review of available information and key stakeholder interviews were conducted A recently defined model for adoption of farm safety, emphasizing individual behavioral, environmental, community, and governmental factors, was used as the framework for the assessment. This hazard-based examination of changes describes improvements that have positively impacted health and safety. Improvements include: reduction in vehicle and on-farm traffic systems, safer irrigation systems, changes in cultivation technology, changes in pesticides and application technology, changes in harvest technology, adoption of gene technology, adoption of occupational health and safety (OHS) management systems, and government regulation. The introduction of genetically modified cotton has directly reduced potential exposure to pesticides, and it has indirectly impacted safety by, for example, reducing traffic flow on farms. This study demonstrates the considerable innovation and positive safety enhancements across the Australian cotton industry with respect to the interaction of management and production systems. These lessons should be used develop effective interventions in other agricultural industries.

Safety on small Australian farms

Abstract This paper examines health and safety issues for small farms in Australia. It provides evidence that small area farmers face similar hazards to that of larger operations. The results also indicate that further work is required to assist these producers in understanding both their legal obligations in respect to health and safety, plus the types of effective control actions they can take to reduce risk. Small area farmers received little information on health and safety, but for those that did, the usual means was through word of mouth or pathways outside the typical communication networks of larger farms. There is significant scope to work with and improve the dissemination of health and safety information for small area farmers and to transfer this information into practical skills to reduce health and safety risks.