How Victorian brothers are tackling farm safety

A simple device designed by two farming brothers has given producers a new tool to improve safety on-farm.

Two Victorian farming brothers are using technology to tackle farm safety concerns, inspired by their 91-year-old grandfather who continues to work on the land.

The Diamond brothers James and Paul, founded their start-up AirAgri several years ago with about 300 farmers now signed up to use the farm safety software tool.

While running Angus cattle and merino breeding and wool production ventures on the family’s 500ha property near Mansfield, in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, the brothers have created a mobile app which works with a pocket-sized tracking device, providing a series of automated safety notifications and a way for those working alone a way to improve their safety.

In case of an emergency, the pocket device can be activated to alert others of an accident, while AirAgri’s mapping technology is used to flag hazards and other dangers across a property.

“How do we create something with a one-click approach that makes it easy for farmers, so when they go out every day into the unknown that it eliminates some of the variables,” Paul Diamond said.

“The response times (to farm accidents) essentially have gone from hours to minutes in some circumstances.

The Diamond brothers James and Paul, founded their start-up AirAgri several years ago.

“The good thing about this device is it was essentially created for our 91-year-old grandfather to click in and charge next to his hearing aids.”

Earlier this year AirAgri was awarded the Commitment to Workplace Health and Safety on a Farm Award at the 2023 WorkSafe Awards.

Several tragic deaths on farms have occurred this year including three in the Wimmera in as many weeks, taking the number of Victorian work-related deaths in agriculture to 39 since January 2020.

“The sad truth is, deaths on farms that we have responded to could have had a different outcome if the person had been found and received emergency care earlier,” WorkSafe executive director of health and safety Dr Narelle Beer said.

“Working alone is a reality of farming, so it’s critical to have a reliable means of communication and a plan in place to get help quickly if something goes wrong.

“It can be as simple as knowing where everyone is working on a particular day and when they are due back, regularly checking in with workers, family members or neighbours, and talking through emergency plans so everyone understands what to do.”