The farm is one of Australia’s most dangerous workplaces. According to year-to-date figures from Safe Work Australia, which compiles data on work-related traumatic injury fatalities, 21 of 104 workplace fatalities in 2020 have occurred on-farm, that’s roughly 20 per cent of the total.

The only other workplace with a higher number of fatalities is the transport, postal and warehousing sector which would employ much bigger numbers than farming. Of the 104 deaths up until early August, 34 were from this sector.

While those figures don’t tell us what caused the fatalities, it’s a reminder to us all to never underestimate risk. And one area of potential risk on-farm is the handling of hazardous chemicals.

In this podcast, Safe Farms WA executive officer Maree Gooch discusses chemical safety on farm, relevant government legislation and what growers should know to legally comply with the legislation.

Contact

Maree Gooch, Executive Officer
Safe Farms WA
0438 374 136
info@safefarms.net.au

Useful resources

• A guide to the management of pesticides in local government pest control programs in Western Australia
• SafeFarms WA
• admin@safefarms.net.au
• Chemical use training for farmers and weed managers