An Industry Inquiry highlighted the need for improvement from both Government and industry.
The fatality rate in the agriculture sector is nine times higher than the average rate across all other industries in Australia, according to Western Australia's Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, yet few resources are available to assist the industry in breaching this safety gap.
There are some 5, 725 agricultural enterprises in Western Australia, and the industry employs around 44,800 workers, of which around 36,700 are directly employed. For many years, the agricultural industry has had the highest number of fatalities of all industries in Western Australia and Australia as a whole.
Edith Cowan University (ECU) Associate Professor Marcus Cattani noted that the number of fatalities and the number of injuries in the agriculture sector have remained unchanged over the past five years.
"The agriculture industry is incredibly important to Australia. But the agriculture workplace injury rate is poor and has not really changed for years. Every life is important, and it is devastating when there is a fatality or serious injury."
Associate Professor Cattani noted that the 2023 West Australian Agriculture Industry Inquiry highlighted the need for improvement from both Government and industry to address the dangers in the workplace.
"While the Government accepted and is implementing the recommendations, the number of workplace injuries has not significantly changed. The Government provide injury prevention advice and if necessary, will hold organisations accountable for complying with the legislation, but in the legislation it is the organisation which 'owns' the risk, and must manage it to the point at which injuries do not occur.
"Herein lies the problem. Telling a farmer that they must comply with the legislation, and follow a series of guidance notes, does not appear to be effective. We need a new approach! Let's create a community of farmers, researchers, service providers and government to collaborate and share solutions across regions, commodities and organisation size. The solutions are out there, we just need to make sure they are available to everyone," he added.
ECU is hoping to reinvent the way small and medium-sized agricultural undertakings operate, based on collaboration from those operating in the agricultural sector, as well as those who have successfully prevented workplace incidents.
Associate Professor Cattani is calling on farmers, service providers, researchers and the government to participate in the research.
"We are looking to improve agriculture safety by doing things differently," he said.
"No one wants anyone to be hurt or killed at work, particularly as there are tried and tested ways to prevent harm in other industries. Already people are volunteering and donating their time and ideas. Our new community is taking shape!".
Parties interested in taking part in the Community of Practice Council are urged to register their interest.
