What is Safe Farming Tasmania?
Safe Farming Tasmania is a confidential service that provides practical positive safe farming solutions and advice.
Safe Farming Tasmania aims to raise awareness around farm safety issues relating to:
- Provide a trusted, confidential source of information to improving work health and safety on and around Tasmanian farms for Tasmanian farmers
- Raise awareness of farm safety issues
- Encourage positive, safe discussions about safe farming
- Work with rural stakeholders to provide training and education on farm safety issues
Safe Farming Tasmania is a trusted, practical standalone program. The initiative is jointly funded by The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania and WorkSafe Tasmania. It is part of the State Government's commitment to cultivating prosperity in the rural sector and aims to de-mystify and simplify managing safety to make our farms safer for generations to come.
This program is a free and confidential service. Farming injuries can be extremely traumatic and very costly, as such Safe Farming Tasmania aims to reduce farm work related death, injury, disease and improve health and safety of farm owners, families, workers, and rural communities.
You can read what other farmers have to say about Safe Farming Tasmania below.
About Senior Health And Safety Advisor Stu Beams
The Safe Farming Tasmania is led by Senior Health and Safety Advisor Stuart (Stu) Beams.
Stu has extensive experience providing work health and safety advice to rural businesses and farming communities and has strong ties with rural stakeholder groups. As a former farmer, he understands the issues farmers face around managing farm safety.
‘Having a crack at managing safety is an extremely important part of achieving that goal,’ says Stu.
View the Safe Farming Tasmania information brochure
Safe Farming Brochure(PDF 886Kb)
Resources
Safe Farming Tasmania has developed resources to assist you in developing your work health and safety practices. These can be viewed on the Safe Farming Resources page.
These resources include
To request a hard copy of resources or a USB containing the accompanying resources, contact Stu Beams (please include your mailing address) :
Phone: 0400 140 146
stuart.beams@safefarming.tas.gov.au
Managing Farm Safety
Why do I need a safety management system?
Work health and safety laws require a PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking - the employer) to provide and maintain safe work systems. This includes providing a safe workplace, ensuring that machinery and equipment are in safe conditions, and substances are stored safely.
What is a safety management system?
A safety management system doesn't have to be a huge portfolio of documents. It can be as simple as a few basic documents (safety rules) that you put together, to clearly spell out to all concerned what you do to manage safety on your farm. Most importantly, what you expect workers, contractors, and visitors to do to stay safe.
How many documents do I need?
This will vary according to the size and complexities of your farm, but most farmers may only need a few documents. The main ones to get you started will be:
A health and safety policy - spelling out your and your workers' rights and responsibilities.
An induction checklist - documenting your inductions so that you can be sure (and prove if required) that your workers are aware of what needs to be discussed about working safely on your farm.
A Hazard Checklist - encouraging your workers to report any hazards that they identify so that you can record and take action to address them.
Developing some basic safe work procedures for the riskier jobs that workers will be required to do for things like operating quad bikes, tractors, and chainsaws. Talk with your workers and make sure they are trained and competent to do these jobs safely. Make sure that you set a good example by following the rules and procedures yourself. Involving your workers and ask for their thoughts and input right from the start. Good consultation is very important.
What do I need to tell contractors?
You need to tell all contractors who come onto your farm to do specific work about any hazards on your property and your safety rules. Make sure they hold the required insurances, are capable of doing the job safely and that any machinery and equipment they bring on to your property is in a safe operational condition.
What about visitors?
Install warning signs at your main gate to alert visitors to hazards that exist on your farm. Provide contact details so that they can request permission to enter your farm. Supervise them while they are there. You could induct them into your safety rules as well.
Good luck with your endeavours to make your farm as safe as you possibly can, remember you can contact Safe Farming Tasmania at any time if you need any help or advice.
Book A Visit
Contact Stu Beams today for a confidential chat and to organise a farm visit.
Stu can assist you with a range of options including an on-farm safety walk to identify hazards, implementation of a safety management system and provide you with guidance and advice on work health and safety laws. Stu can also run safety awareness sessions with school groups, workplaces, and community groups.
Call Stu to have a positive safe farming conversation.
Phone 0400 140 146 or email: stuart.beams@safefarming.tas.gov.au
What Farmers Say About Safe Farming Tasmania
"Safe Farming is a unique valued and trusted program available to the agriculture sector.
The safe farming approach transforms workplace health and safety into a comfortable everyday conversation that is guided with extensive knowledge, care, simple and easy to understand information.
Safe farming has been an incredible support to our business in providing confidential assistance on site and by phone. The farming and safety background expertise from Safe Farming is second to none with every aspect covered.
I feel very comfortable asking for guidance and any information I need. I highly recommend Stu and his team at Safe Farming to help guide you to improve and implement your safety strategies keeping workers and families safe on farm."
Abbey Lewis, Executive Administrator, Waverley Station, King Island
"Safe Farming Tasmania is an integral part of our industry. Stu keeps us safe and up to date with the most relevant information. The work Safe Farming does has, no doubt, saved countless lives in Tasmania’s agricultural sector"
Catlin Radford, Farmer, Moriarty
"The farming and safety experience and expertise from Safe Farming is second to none, with every aspect of safety covered. I feel very comfortable asking Stu for any guidance and information I need."
Jim Conn, Lagoon Pastoral Flinders Island
"This is a unique, valued and trusted program available to the agricultural sector. The Safe Farming approach transforms workplace health and safety into a comfortable, every day conversation."
Corey Spencer, Cressy Farmer, Chair Safe Farming Tasmania
Contact
Stuart (Stu) Beams, Senior Health and Safety Advisor
If you would like work health and safety advice that is:
- Free
- Confidential
- Practical
Phone: 0400 140 146
Email:
stuart.beams@safefarming.tas.gov.au