FARMERS have welcomed a government safety campaign aimed at tackling the high injury and fatality rates in agriculture.
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The print, radio online campaign highlights the need for industry to continue improving its record on work safety.
Queensland Farmers Federation president Stuart Armitage welcomed the government’s continued investment into improving awareness of farm safety though the campaign.
“Safety in any workplace is vitally important. Continued government, industry and community discussion on how we all can do better is essential to addressing bad practice and changing entrenched cultural attitudes to farm safety,” Mr Armitage said.
“Sadly in our sector you don’t have to talk to too many people to uncover stories of on farm incidents and tragedy. It is heartening however to see that in recent years improvements have been made throughout the sector.
“The major theme of the ad safety campaign emphasises the disproportionate number of agricultural workplace deaths and injuries. While it is important than we acknowledge this figure, it is also important to recognise that vast improvements have been made.
“Over the last five years, there has been a consistent annual reduction in the number of work-related injuries across the sector. Since 2010–11, there has been a 65 per cent reduction in the rate for traumatic injury fatalities.
“QFF encourage people working in our sector to heed the hard hitting message of the campaign and think about safety improvement changes that can be made in their workplace.”
Mr Armitage said it was up to both employers and employees to take the few extra seconds to stop and think about the risks that may well prevent a tragic death.
“QFF will continue to work with government, industry and the community to raise the awareness and importance of workplace safety on Queensland farms,” he said.
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