WorkSafe has issued a reminder to have good risk management procedures in place on farms, particularly during the current harvest.
So far this financial year, eight Western Australian workers have lost their lives in work-related incidents, three of these in the agriculture sector.
Two workers lost their lives last week on farms in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern, and earlier in the financial year a worker lost his life at an agricultural farming site in Jarrahdale.
WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said everyone in charge of a business should perform a thorough risk assessment of their workplace.
“Agriculture remains one of the highest-risk industries in the State, and farmers are reminded to assess the risks in their workplace and ensure that safe work procedures are in place to minimise those risks” Ms North said.
“Harvest is a particularly busy time, and the risks can be magnified by the long working hours involved.
“WorkSafe is actively working with the sector to provide advice, guidance and education on workplace safety, as was recommended by the independent inquiry into safety in the agriculture industry in 2023.
“However, every farm operator has a critical role to play by ensuring that risks are managed effectively.”