One of the priorities of the discussion was to make a clear distinction between what is a farmer’s responsibility and what is a truck driver’s when it comes to cattle ramps.
WorkSafe health and safety executive director Sam Jenkin said it was critical that farmers paused and assessed the safety of their ramps and loading practices.
“Some red flags to look out for include ramps that are not secured, non-adjustable ramps, ramps with no safety gate at the top, and ramps that don’t separate people and livestock,” Mr Jenkin said.
“Even if your ramps don’t meet current safety standards, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve got to spend a lot of money on brand-new ones.
“There are cheaper ways to add safety features like catwalks or non-slip surfaces to existing ramps.
“The most important thing is to start with your safety assessment because when it comes to farm safety, you never know how many second chances you’ll get.”
Despite largely talking about cattle, WorkSafe said the information is also relevant to other livestock.
The livestock welfare panel at the conference clarified where responsibilities lie:
Cattle handling
Farmers’ responsibility: Make sure employees and independent contractors have knowledge and training in safe cattle handling principles and practices. Provide an induction to any cattle service business personnel. Point out key risks and hazards relevant to the cattle yards.
Truckers’ responsibility: Make sure the business’ employees and independent contractors have knowledge and training in safe cattle handling principles and practices.
Cattle infrastructure
Farmers’ responsibility: Provide and maintain infrastructure such as safe cattle yards, and safe entry and exit points.
Truckers’ responsibility: Complete a risk assessment before starting work in the yards. If they’re deemed unsafe, work should not continue until the yards can be made safe.
Working alone
Farmers’ responsibility: Make sure employees, contractors or cattle service business personnel don’t work alone. Where this is unavoidable, relevant working alone procedures should be in place.
Farmers who are sole traders should consider utilising buddy systems where neighbours work together, or have someone regularly check in if working alone.
Truckers’ responsibility: Make sure the business’ employees and contractors are not working alone. This may mean rescheduling work if this is not possible.
The advice came just before agriculture was identified as a top five industry on WorkSafe’s radar, due to its fatality rate.
The welfare panel was part of the Livestock and Rural Trucking Association Victoria conference held in Shepparton on Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9.
At the conference, WorkSafe encouraged farmers and truckers to watch a brief information video which shows the dos and don’ts of livestock ramps.
Check out the video at: tinyurl.com/45vt4vm9
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