Safer work habits

Animals, vehicles, machinery and equipment can all do you damage on the farm, but by taking a bit more care you can avoid some of the common injuries that can occur in your day-to-day activities.

On this page

  1. Manual handling tasks
  2. Slips, trips and falls
  3. Protective equipment
  4. Fatigue
  5. Safety of contractors and other visitors

Manual handling tasks

Feeling a bit sore after a hard day’s work on the farm is normal, but if it keeps up, it may be a sign your work practices need to change. If they don’t, the discomfort could turn into a more serious problem that affects your long term health.

Try to:

  • change the way you work to avoid awkward postures and positions
  • vary tasks so you don’t do the same repetitive actions all day long
  • reduce manual handling of very heavy objects – use a machine instead
  • improve working conditions if you can, such as avoiding extremes of hot or cold
  • change the hours you work or the number of breaks you take, so you’re giving your body a breather – plan ahead to get extra help when you need it.

For more information, see:

Slips, trips and falls

Gravity always wins. You’re more likely to end up in hospital as a result of slipping over than from being skewered on the horns of an angry bull. The fact that most of us don’t take slips, trips and falls seriously is probably the reason why gravity catches us out.

Where falls happen and what you should do

Most slips, trips and falls happen in the milking shed, the yard and the paddock, often because of surface contaminants, such as manure, water, milk or cleaning alkaline. The good news is, once you’ve identified hazards on your farm and decided which ones are most likely to cause you serious harm, you can put a control in place for each hazard. Try to identify hazards where you could slip, trip or fall. Solutions can be as simple as installing handrails on stairs and platforms, or laying high-friction surfaces in high-risk areas. Ensure everyone wears suitable non-slip footwear while working in these hazardous locations.

For more information, see:

Protective equipment

On the farm you risk over-exposure to noise and chemicals. It’s vital that you choose – and use – the right hearing protection, eye protection and respirators for the job. They often only take a few seconds to put on, and are well worth that little bit of effort when you consider the impact hearing loss or an eye injury can have on your quality of life.

Noise, especially, is a health issue on farms. Whether you’re exposed to noise in the shearing shed or stockyards, from chainsaws, tractors, or other farm machinery and equipment, wear suitable ear plugs or ear muffs. Remember, if you have to shout to be heard by others you should probably be wearing hearing protection.

For more information on using the right protective equipment, see:

Fatigue

You know when you are too tired. Fatigue can affect your physical and mental ability to make safe choices when faced with hazardous situations on the farm. Adopt safe work habits so that fatigue doesn’t catch you out. Drink water often during the day and try to take short breaks to refresh yourself. Plan ahead for busy times and organise things so you get enough sleep. Know the symptoms and causes of fatigue so you can anticipate and minimise its effects.

For more information, see:

Safety of contractors and other visitors

Any visitor – whether they’re a contractor or a member of the public – can create or be exposed to hazards on your farm. You have a responsibility under the Health and Safety in Employment Act to warn visitors of any work-related, out of the ordinary hazards that may seriously harm them. For more information, see:

Last updated: 20April2009