Farm Safety Improves Through 'Incremental Gain', Says Birkett
Improving health and safety is about incremental gain rather than a sudden decision, says Leeston farmer and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesman David Birkett.
Farmers and their families can learn about various tools and solutions to help them farm safely with the launch of a Safer Farming Passport, part of the Farm Without Harm campaign.
Visitors can pick up a passport at up to eight participating stands and get it stamped, while checking out the solutions and advice on offer. Every stamp collected will be an extra chance to win a $1,000 Farmlands voucher.
Participating organisations include:
- Safetrax by Fleetpin, a roll warning and critical alert system to detect and help prevent these situations before they happen - also a finalist in the Fieldays Innovation Awards in the Growth & Scale Category.
- UBCO’s lightweight, low centre of gravity 2x2 electric motorbikes.
- DairyNZ will be demonstrating the Easy-Entry Trailer Gate and Easy-Access Calf Pen Gate on-farm safety solutions
- Greenlea will be showing a short video from a sheep and beef farmer, Ben Dooley, covering tractor safety reminders.
- AFFCO will be covering prevention of slips, trips and falls, with handy tips on reducing the risk of injury when loading cattle into transport trucks.
- Farmlands are promoting how Virkon footbaths can help stop the spread of disease such as Mycoplasma bovis or rotovirus during calving.
- LIC will be outlining how appropriate AB facilities helps keep AB technicians safe and gives them the best opportunity to get cows in-calf.
- The Land Search and Rescue team will be at the PGG Wrightson stand.
“This initiative is a great way to learn about some of the many solutions and approaches that will help keep farmers and their families safe on farm,” says Safer Farms chair Lindy Nelson.
“This is all about curbing the human cost of producing food and fibre through a whole-of-sector and whole systems approach to designing preventable harm out of farming, and sharing knowledge and experience.”
The passports can be picked up from any of the participating member stands. Completed passports must be handed in at one of the stands during Fieldays. The draw will be held on 5 July and the winner informed by email or phone.
