Leanne Donaldson
October 24, 2010
The Queensland Government has launched a farm safety advertising campaign to tackle high injury and death rates in agriculture.
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said Queensland Safety Ambassador Shane Webcke – who lost his father in a farm accident – would feature in the ad campaign which is running online, in print, on radio and social media.
“The death and injury rate in the agriculture industry is disproportionately higher than in other industries,” Ms Grace said.
“Only three per cent of Queenslanders work on farms, yet nearly 30 per cent of workplace deaths occur on them.
“There are around 13 workers who lose their lives in the agriculture industry each year, with a further 1700 injured on the job.
“It’s because of these figures that we’re running this campaign to spread the message that workplace deaths and serious injuries are preventable.”
Agricultural Minister Leanne Donaldson said it was important for everyone involved in the sector to make safety a priority.
“Farms are hazardous places and sadly the statistics show that when accidents occur on farms they are more likely than in other workplaces to be fatal or serious,” Ms Donaldson said.
“This campaign recognizes that changes in behavior and greater awareness of risk can make a difference.
“For example, wearing the correct safety equipment and maintaining and using farm machinery correctly can significantly reduce the chances of injury or death.”
For more information, visit worksafe.qld.gov.au or call 1300 362-128.
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The Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) has welcomed the farm safety campaign.
“Safety in any workplace is vitally important, and continued discussion on how we can all do better is essential to addressing bad practice and changing entrenched cultural attitudes to farm safety,” QFF President Stuart Armitage said.
“Sadly, you don’t have to talk to too many people in our sector 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.”
Mr Armitage said there had been a consistent annual reduction in the number of work-related injuries on farms over the last five years.
“Since 2010-11 there has been a 65 per cent reduction in the rate for traumatic injury fatalities,” Mr Armitage said.
“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.
“It is up to both employers and employees to take the few extra seconds to stop and think about the risks that may well prevent another tragic death.”
