Taranaki had the highest rate of wool harvesting injuries in New Zealand with 62 injuries per 100 employees.
New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association vicepresident Jamie McConachie said Southland's rates were probably the lowest due to most farmers in the area having good shed conditions.
He said many New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association members had bought into health and safety in Southland in the past five years by looking at what made sheds safe, keeping sheds in good working condition and keeping shed warrants of fitness up to date.
''I also personally think there's a good relationship between farmers and shearing contractors and it's pleasing we work that way'' Mr McConachie said.
''Farmers have been really investing in woolsheds and some have built brand new woolsheds which is amazing.''
Mr McConachie said he had heard of farmers investing $300,000 to $400,000 for a shed and in one case a farmer had spent more than $1 million on a new shed.
Other farmers had invested in new equipment and machinery and were both looking to the future and looking after staff.
''It's been a huge thing, really.''
''Shearing contractors have embraced health and safety, but there is still work to be done.''
Mr McConachie said Tahi Ngatahi (a new online health and safety resource) was another tool for injury prevention and although Southland's injury rates were already low, he hoped the programme would help drop the number even lower.
''It's a tool staff can engage with 24/7.''
He said he would like to think Southland could have similarly low injury numbers this coming season.
''If we've got Tahi Ngatahi, I'd like to think it would help that.''
Tahi Ngatahi project manager Trish Ryan said one of the aspects which helped Southland report lower injury rates was that the market was quite different from elsewhere in New Zealand.
In the North Island, many shearing businesses were much smaller, whereas in Southland they were larger, had better health and safety programmes, more time was spent on health and safety and many businesses were part of the Accredited Employers Programme.
Ms Ryan said health and safety was also a different game to 10 years ago.
''Health and safety practice has improved over 10 years and the market has changed.''
''There's less sheep, which means less employees and less accidents.''
Ms Ryan said the timing of Tahi Ngatahi was good as the main shearing season was coming up, so it was a good time to get through the programme.
''It's been around four weeks since its release and over 100 employers plus their employees have joined — it's really good to see.''
ASHLEIGH.MARTIN@theensign.co.nz
The Ensign
