Farmers prepare for 'wears and tears'

SAFETY PRACTICES: Jamie Falloon says farmers must adhere. PHOTO/FILE

More than 3000 farming injuries were reported in Wairarapa from 2011 to 2013 - costing the accident compensation scheme more than $9 million.

According to ACC, claim numbers were highest in 2012 with 487 new claims and 691 active claims. The figures included injuries to workers on sheep, beef, dairy cattle, poultry and other livestock farms, as well as those involved in fruit, vegetable, grain, plant and crop growing.

The total cost of active claims was, however, highest in 2011 at $1,551,000.

Federated Farmers Wairarapa president Jamie Falloon said a combined approach to safety by farmers and farm workers was needed to bring the figures down.

"Farmers have to make sure they continue to adhere to health and safety practices ... [and] workers have to take on a level of personal responsibility," he said.

"No one deliberately goes out to hurt themselves but the better you understand what the risks are, the better prepared you can be."

A part of that was being prepared for the "wears and tears of physical work", he said.

"It's important someone whose going to dag sheep all day, warms up their body and stretches, just as sports players do before they go on the field."

Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre has a strong focus on health and safety, according to the centre's farm business manager Tony Downman.

While teaching young people about safety in a formalised programme was effective, the main thing needed to reduce injury numbers was a change in people's mindsets towards health and safety, he said.

"A lot of people don't take things like chemicals seriously enough," he said. "We encourage all our staff to have the right attitude towards health and safety so it rubs off on students."

- NZME.