Ag-related deaths and injuries make it one of state’s most dangerous industries

Latest workplace death and injury figures are a sobering reminder of the inherent dangers of farm work.

There have been 33 on-farm deaths and 1885 accepted WorkSafe Victoria injury claims in the agriculture industry since 2018.

Data released by Victoria’s workplace health and safety regulator shows there were six fatalities recorded in 2018-19, 10 in 2019-20, six in 2020-21 and 10 last financial year, and one workplace fatality since July 1 this year.

Meanwhile, WorkSafe have accepted a gradual increase of injury claims with 405 in 2018-19, 418 in 2019-20, 447 in 2020-21 and 461 last financial year, and 77 since July 1.

The most common causes of injury were being hit by moving objects, body stressing, and falls trips and slips.

Despite agriculture making up only two per cent of the state’s workforce, about 14 per cent of all workplace deaths since 2018 have occurred in the industry.

WorkSafe health and safety executive director Narelle Beer said it was vital that every farming job – from choices made on the run to comprehensive plans – was approached with safety top of mind.

“Before each job stop to consider the potential hazards and then make any changes that can eliminate or reduce the risks,” she said.

Picture: AAP Image/Richard Walker

“Prioritising safety doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming – something as simple as talking to your workers about risk can help stop injuries and even save a life.”

More than $1 million in fines were handed to 15 agriculture industry businesses for breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 across the same period.

Penalties handed out include $400,000 to Warrnambool meat processing company Midfield Meat International in December last year following an employee’s death after being attacked by a bull and $230,000 against Grampians Free Range Poultry after a contractor was killed by a faulty front-end loader.