Emphasises staying safe ahead of National Farm Safety Week

This week July 20-26 is National Farm Safety Week and Aus Veg, the peak industry body for vegetable, potato and onion growers, has thrown its support behind the initiative.

This year’s campaign, “Second Chances – Who Knows How Many You’ll Get?” is aimed at reminding those working in agriculture they cannot afford to take chances or shortcuts with safety. You may get away with it once, but you will get caught out one day.

In the vegetable industry, farm safety is particularly important, with growers and their staff operating in and around heavy equipment in the field, and in packhouses and processing plants. In this environment, staying safe must always be front of mind.

AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote said, “Vegetable growers, and workers in the vegetable industry, have the right to be sure that when they leave home to start work, they will return safely at the end of their shift. To ensure that happens, farm safety must be a priority – it’s that simple.”

“Also of concern is the mental health toll that farm injuries or fatalities can cause to everyone involved. AUSVEG Industry Sentiment Surveys have found that mental health pressures are a significant factor in vegetable growers wanting to leave the industry.

“Measures that reduce physical and mental health risks are strongly supported by the vegetable industry, and ensuring safety on farms is an important AUSVEG priority – not just during this week, but every day of every year.”

National Farm Safety Week starts this Sunday 20 July and runs for seven days and will feature a media and social media campaign, with a different message for each day, which AUSVEG will be sharing to its network.

More information on National Farm Safety week can be found on Farmsafe’s website and social media platforms.