Improving farm safety requires investment in education and prevention - not just compliance

On Sunday 14 July Farmsafe Australia launched Farm Safety Week 2024, with the handing down of their 2024 Safer Farms Report.

In positive news the report found that 2023 had the most significant decrease in on farm fatalities on record, however even one fatality is too many. Agriculture and our rural communities have made great strides in bringing these numbers down, and this work must continue to avoid these tragedies.

This year’s theme is ‘In Safe Hands’ focusing on the importance of Australia’s agriculture sector being ‘in safe hands.’ Throughout the week, each day has highlighted a specific topic related to farm safety, including livestock handling, supervising children on farm and vehicle and machinery safety.

It was positive to see that Monday’s theme was support and wellbeing. Placing this topic high on the agenda reflects the growing awareness of mental health in all discussions of farm safety. This shift is a testament to years of advocacy from farm groups and regional communities across Australia encouraging conversations that were once considered taboo.

As illustrated in Farmsafe Australia’s reports, the interplay between innovation, be that rollover protection or other mechanisms, and legislation has resulted in a long-term trend towards greater farm safety around the globe.

Ahead of the 2024 state government election QFF and our members are asking Queensland’s political parties to instigate a rebate program to support farmers to transition to side-by-side vehicles and install rollover protection on farm vehicles.

QFF would like to see more investment in education, prevention, and capacity building, rather than a strict compliance approach. By supporting farmers and their staff with these investments we can expect to see long-term change that cannot be achieved through penalties alone.

It is also important to examine on-farm fatalities within the wider context of the agriculture sector. Workforce shortages are having an impact on farms across Queensland, and it is important that additional support is provided to enable strong workplace health and safety initiatives on farm that respond to the current workforce challenges and climate.