Producers to focus on beef cattle safety

Beef cattle safety in Queensland is set to improve with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and producers working together to host a series of focus groups on how to carry out high-risk activities safely.

The focus groups began in July 2008 as an initiative of the Rural Industry Action Plan 2008-10. The results will be used to develop free workshops in 2009 for safer systems of beef cattle handling in yards.

The focus groups address several factors producers believe have contributed to the rise in injury rates in recent years, including:

a decline in regional workforce numbers leading to larger numbers of inexperienced staff
the increasing average age of workers
older workers having more trouble 'bouncing back' from serious injury than younger workers
people working longer hours due to the decline in numbers and fatigue contributing to injury
more mechanical tasks being undertaken than in previous years
the use of all-terrain vehicles more than in the past
not all equipment being manufactured to the standard required in a rural setting resulting in people often repairing or making their own equipment

The focus groups also explore how employers can reduce the risk of severe injury and fatality at work and consider practical solutions to manage risk and help producers meet their safety obligations.

Call Workplace Health and Safety Infoline on 1300 369 915 to participate in these focus groups.

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