Agricultural Health and Safety Performance in Australia

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine the proportion of Australian farming enterprises with systems and processes that meet current regulatory and industry standards for health and safety. Data from 683 farming enterprises were drawn from a nationally stratified random sample representing seven commodity sectors: beef cattle, cotton, dairy, horticulture, grain growing, sheep, and sugar cane. Results indicated low levels of implementation for farm health and safety plans as well as induction for new workers and contractors. Improvements to control major safety hazards are required for farm machinery and implements, farm vehicles, reducing exposure of children to hazards, and the use of helmets when riding quad bikes, motorbikes, and horses. There were considerable variations between commodity sectors. There remains significant scope to enhance the safety of farmers in Australia.

[1]  J. R. Landis,et al.  The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. , 1977, Biometrics.

[2]  L. Fragar,et al.  Health and Safety on Australian Farms , 2011 .

[3]  S. Urbina.  Essentials of Psychological Testing , 2005, PsyPag Quarterly.

[4]  Barbara Marlenga,et al.  Fatal agricultural injuries in preschool children: risks, injury patterns and strategies for prevention , 2006, Canadian Medical Association Journal.

[5]  D. Mohan,et al.  Childhood injuries in rural north India , 2010, International journal of injury control and safety promotion.

[6]  E Herde,et al.  Farm Injury Related Deaths in Australia 2003-2006 , 2011 .

[7]  R. Ramakrishnaiah,et al.  Imaging findings in 512 children following all-terrain vehicle injuries , 2009, Pediatric Radiology.

[8]  B. Walker,et al.  Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation , 2011 .

[9]  R. Franklin,et al.  Farm-related injury presenting to an Australian base hospital. , 2003, The Australian journal of rural health.

[10]  Lyn Fragar,et al.  Safe Play Areas for Prevention of Young Children Drowning in Farm Dams , 2009 .

[11]  S. Browning,et al.  Agricultural Tasks and Injuries among Kentucky Farm Children: Results of the Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance Project , 2003, Southern medical journal.

[12]  Punam Pahwa,et al.  Determinants of agricultural injury: a novel application of population health theory , 2010, Injury Prevention.

[13]  K. Ludlow,et al.  Food standards Australia and New Zealand , 2010 .