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.
These events provided an excellent chance for contractors to get an update and all the latest information on important topics that impact on our sector and businesses, a benefit of belonging to RCNZ.
In all, 12 roadshows were held in May – six in the North Island and six in the South Island. The events held at Gore, Ashburton, Palmerston North and Cambridge doubled as the regional zones’ annual meetings and I want to especially thank all who came and participated.
Also before each of these four events, the agrichemical applicators’ division of RCNZ held a workshop led by industry spray guru Noel Blackwell, at which all registered chemical applicators attending earned three professional development points towards renewing their certification.
This year’s roadshow presentation covered proposed new health and safety legislation and regulations, the Safer Farms programme, codes of practice for using tractors and other self-propelled agricultural vehicles and the meaning of these changes for agricultural contractors.
As I pointed out in my column last month, it is important we all fully understand what the new health and safety legislation means for individual contractors and, just as importantly, how it will affect directors of companies, sole traders, employees, volunteers and anyone who ‘works’ in and for our businesses.
A highlight for me was the attendance at our Cambridge roadshow of Ross Grieg from Immigration NZ. Ross is the Immigration NZ area manager for the North Island and was keen to attend our meeting and hear rural contractors’ concerns and issues in employing overseas staff – especially getting people back for a second and third year.
I am pleased to report this was a very positive meeting. Ross took away plenty of feedback from the gathering, including how we all try our damnedest to employ Kiwis first and foremost, but that trained, experienced operators from overseas fill a vital gap in our industry.
Ross is teeing up a meeting with me and Immigration NZ officials in Wellington to discuss our concerns further, and all going well I will be able to report back on this meeting in my next column.
They say you can judge the strength of an organisation by the way it keeps its membership informed. That’s why I believe Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) is an important body that all contractors should to be a part of – because events like our roadshows are tailored specifically for those of us working in the rural contracting sector.
Equally important is how these events also provide a chance for RCNZ members and other interested parties to get along and tell us what the issues, challenges and concerns are for them. We can then take this feedback back up the chain to the board, which can tackle these issues on a national level and hopefully get results that benefit all members.
Meanwhile, as mentioned earlier, this year’s RCNZ annual conference will be in Blenheim from June 22-25. If you have never attended a national conference, I highly recommend you do. The theme this year is ‘Doing it Smarter’ – with an agenda chock-full of presentations on how to get smarter in running your business and using the latest technology.
I can’t overemphasise the fantastic opportunity this provides to meet up with contractors from all around the country, learn new stuff and have a bit of fun. Registration forms and information on the annual conference is on the RCNZ website or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for all the details.
I hope to see many of you in Blenheim in June. I can assure you it is well worth the trip.
• Wellsford agricultural contractor Steve Levet is the president of Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ).
