As an agricultural employer, there are numerous intangible risks and hazards associated with the farming environment; fatigue, complacency, labour shortages, wellbeing, and the blurred line between the home and work environment, to name a few. These, combined with many other issues, make Australian farms one of the most dangerous work environments. 

From July 18-24, National Farm Safety Week is promoting the theme “Recipe for Averting Disaster”, to draw attention to these lesser acknowledged risks that can have devastating effects on farming employers, employees, businesses and communities.  

Here, we look at some of the most recent facts and figures around these hazards – and unpack some of the increasingly emerging risks as a result of economic, environmental and labour market pressures. 

The current state of the farming industry 

According to the Farmsafe 2022 report released in July, 46 farmers lost their lives in Australia in 2021, and 128 non-fatal injuries occurred. Though this is the first time the annual fatality statistics have been under 50 in over a decade, more needs to be done to decrease these numbers even further. 

Here’s a snapshot of the data: 

• 87% of farming fatalities were male 
• 58.7% were over the age of 45 
• The most common agents of fatality were tractors (22%) and quad bikes (20%) 
• The most common agents of injuries were quad bikes (44%) and tractors (11%) 
• The average cost of fatality on farm in 2019 was $1.95M 

Interestingly, in a survey of Australia’s farming workforce, the top three farm safety issues respondents believed urgently needed to be addressed weren't directly related to farm machinery or equipment-related injuries and deaths. Though these were still rated as important, they came in well below: 

1. Lack of commitment to, or understanding of, formal on-farm safety training and induction obligations and requirements.  
2. Physical and psychological wellbeing on farms.  
3. Lack of understanding of the benefits and positive impacts of adopting farm safety measures and practices. 



This shows a growing understanding of the importance in changing attitudes and prioritising professional safety training when it comes to reducing workplace deaths and injuries on Australian farms.  

Labour shortages 

Farmers nationwide are struggling to fill essential positions as labour shortages continue in the wake of restrictions and hesitancy to travel following the pandemic. The circumstances are forcing many farmers to make difficult decisions to either reduce operations, or continue while understaffed, potentially exposing themselves and employees to dangerous situations as a result of overwork and fatigue. 

In this way, it may be beneficial for farming employers to consider implementing fatigue management systems to ensure workers are not engaging in potentially dangerous behaviours, such as handling machinery when fatigued, or not leaving enough time between shifts. It will be important to create psychologically safe environments where farm workers feel able to communicate with their manager or team leader if they are struggling with tiredness. It should be commonly understood amongst staff that there are no issues with coming forward and finding a solution that works for everybody. 

During these times when labour is scarce, Chairperson at Farmsafe Australia, Felicity Richards, says farms should regularly implement safety workshops and toolbox talks to ensure that any hazards and risks can be minimised.  

“Farmers need to put the safety of themselves and their employees as the core to their business,” she said in a statement. “We need to ensure that people feel comfortable to have open conversations and raise safety concerns if they arise. By conducting weekly or bi-weekly safety meetings, you can ensure that all machinery and operations are running effectively, and that there are no hazards that a worker has identified.” 

Phycological pressures and mental health 

With Australian agriculture and farming so closely tied to an environment that has been battered by drought, bushfires and floods, it’s easy to see why mental ill-health, depression and anxiety are becoming so prevalent amongst the farming community.

Sadly, farmers die of suicide at twice the rate of other employed people, and are half as likely to have seen a GP or mental health professional in the last six months compared to their non-farming rural counterparts. Though there appears to be an increased awareness of mental health within the farming community, this is an area that still needs much attention. 

Partnering with organisations that offer mental health workforce training and toolbox talks, as well as investing in localised programs will be a useful way to provide simple, practical and effective tips that can help the farming workforce build resilience and improve wellbeing. 

Building a safer farming culture 

Despite the statistics and the obvious risks involved in working with heavy machinery, livestock and the often-changeable Australian environment, there is still very much an attitude that death or serious accidents “won’t happen to me”. This need to change attitudes and culture around safety was addressed in a WorkSafe campaign last year, which targeted this common industry mindset and encouraged farmers to put safety on the top of their to-do lists. 

Creating culture begins in the infancy of an individual’s employ, which is where they first learn and engage with a company’s values and priorities. In this way, tailored on-farm inductions when new employees, on-hired workers and even farm visitors arrive on site will be important in emphasising safety as a crucial part of your workplace culture.  

Beyond the first interaction however, inductions and training are also necessary throughout the entire employee lifecycle; when there is a new piece of machinery, new vehicle, change in processes or even a change in climate (e.g. extreme heat or cold weather) that may affect the health and safety of the farming workforce. 

These inductions and training sessions should be recorded and documented, as they are demonstrated evidence that you take workplace health and safety seriously, if there is ever an incident or investigation on your farm. 

If you require assistance with Workplace Safety Management, Acclaimed Workforce can provide agricultural employers with Toolbox Talks, Induction and Training, Injury Management and Return to Work. Click here to find out more.