$255,000 grant to boost push against farm injuries

19/5/94

A major push to prevent work-related injuries and deaths in farming in Western Australia will be supported by a $255,000 State Government grant over the next three years.

The WA Farmers' Federation sought funding from the State Government in recognition of the need to improve occupational health and safety in agriculture. 

The federation will administer the grant on behalf of 'Farmsafe WA', a voluntary body set up specifically to improve occupational health and safety in agriculture.

The funding will be used for the employment of a project officer to establish education and awareness programs using 'Farmsafe cells' throughout rural WA to promote improved occupational health and safety on a regional basis.

The grants to the Farmers' Federation were announced today by Labour Relations Minister Graham Kierath in Maylands.

Mr Kierath said during 1992-93 there were 1,400 lost time injuries and diseases in agriculture which led to an average of four weeks away from work in each case.

"The rate of work-related injury and disease in agriculture has increased by seven per cent over the past four years," Mr Kierath said.

"It has been the only industry sector with increased rates, which is in contrast to an average decrease of 20 per cent in the rate across all other industry sectors.

"Greatly increased attention to occupational health and safety is required in agriculture to prevent these injuries and reverse the alarming trend.

"Given the self-employed nature of much of farming, these injuries often have a devastating effect on individual family businesses.

"The Farmers' Federation and Farmsafe WA have developed a proposal for raising industry and community awareness in rural areas which promises success where laws and regulations in the past have failed."

WA Farmers' Federation senior vice president and president of Farmsafe WA Don Sutherland said that Government support was essential in the organisation's bid to combat major injury and death occurrences in the rural sector.

"Accidents are not created; they are caused and can be prevented, so it is extremely pleasing to see that the Minister has recognised the importance of the Farmsafe initiative in light of this fact," Mr Sutherland said.

"The challenge now is for every WA primary producer to think safe on the farm."

Mr Kierath said the State Government had gained the support of the federation and Farmsafe WA to promote the Government's objective of a reduction in the rate of work-related injury and disease in agriculture in WA by 10 per cent between July 1993 and June 1997, and in the same period achieve a 50 per cent reduction in the rate of tractor-related fatalities.

"The Department of Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare will work closely with the federation and Farmsafe WA to achieve this objective," he said.

Media contact:  Brian Coulter 222 9595 / 481 2133 or Justine Whittome (Farmers' Federation) 018 946 620 / 325 2933