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.
As the harvest and forage season draws to a close for another year, it is timely to preview what the new season will bring for us. Apart from looking forward to higher dairy prices, stronger meat schedules and good and timely rains we can also plan on new workplace health and safety regulations.
While these have now been in the pipeline for at least a year, D-day is fast approaching when the new Health and Safety at Work Act will be in place. Already the government agency charged with overseeing these new regulations – WorkSafe NZ – is set up and doing the business.
Rural Contractors NZ has for some time been advocating that contractors get themselves and their staff up to speed on new health and safety laws. Ignorance is no longer an excuse. Unfortunately, the agricultural sector is a prime target and with something like 124 deaths and countless serious accidents in the sector since 2008 it is obvious why.
In mid 2014, WorkSafe NZ came into being to take more action over health and safety practices on farms. It had built a taskforce of 200 by the start of 2015 for a ‘safer farms’ campaign to reduce farm accidents, predicted to be 21,000 this year – 10,000 severe enough to require time off work.
Whether you agree or not with the new health and safety regulations, the fact is these will affect your business. This is best summed up by the following clause in the new Health and Safety at Work Act:
Duty to manage risk:
A duty imposed on a person under this act to ensure health and safety requires the person: to eliminate risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable; and, If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate risks to health and safety, those risks should be minimised as far as is reasonably practicable.
This makes it that clear everyone involved with your business – yourself, farmer clients and employees – needs to take responsibility for keeping people safe from harm at work and reducing the risk of an accident.
It is important that employers and employees know their rights and responsibilities for health and safety issues in the work place.
If you require more information or details about your health and safety obligations contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Meanwhile, with the early southerly blast reminding us of winter, it is worth looking at some of the events Rural Contractors NZ has coming up.
First, in May will be the annual round of nationwide roadshows highlighting issues such as work safety, immigration and employment. Many of these events will be followed by an ‘Agrichemical Afternoon’ offering attendees a chance to update themselves on agrichemical issues and earn professional development points.
You need to register for these events; go to the RCNZ website www.ruralcontractors.org.nz for more information on registration details and dates.
Second, in late June the RCNZ will hold its annual conference, this year in Blenheim. The theme is ‘Doing it Smarter’, with a great array of guest speakers and workshops.
If you have never been to a conference I can strongly recommend you attend. It is a fantastic way to learn new stuff, network with other contractors and ag sector people and at the same time get away from the day-to-day grind of the business for a few days. You won’t regret it.
Again, for more information on the annual conference, accommodation options and registration details go to the RCNZ website This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Wellsford agricultural contractor Steve Levet is the president of the Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ).
