Workplace
Health and Safety Queensland has published a new guide to promote safety in the
rural sector.
The guide, an
overview for the rural industry of the Queensland Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and
the Work Health and
Safety Regulation 2011, is designed to help rural industry
employers and workers understand their health and safety duties in the
workplace.
Queensland
farmers and rural workers are urged to familiarise themselves with the
information, particularly after a spate of tragic deaths in the rural sector in
2011, and yet another quad bike fatality last month.
Figures
for January to June 2011 showed 17 workplace deaths across the state, with the
rural sector (including agriculture, forestry and fishing) having the highest
number of fatalities at seven deaths.
The
construction industry, with three fatalities, was the next most dangerous
industry in the state.
Crush
injuries in particular are a problem in the rural industry, with four of the
fatalities resulting from collisions or falls involving a quad bike, a truck, a
cotton picker and a tractor, respectively.
The
new guide has information that can help cut the number of injuries and
fatalities on farms and other rural industries.
It
covers hazardous materials, asbestos, rollovers, working in confined spaces,
high risk work, musculo-skeletal injuries, codes of practices, notifications
and a range of other relevant issues such as sun exposure.
Personal
protective equipment, remote and isolated work and other matters with a rural
focus such as the use of quad bikes, chainsaws and heavy machinery are also
covered.
A
special section is included on animal handling and there are links to other
specialist areas such as chemicals and electrical.