July/August 2009 Newsletter

This latest edition includes articles relating to seatbelts, noise injury prevention, community safety month, the National Farm Health and Safety Conference and much more!

Click here to view the latest newsletter.

Farm Safety Week – 20th to 24th July 2009

Farmers and farming families are continuing to be injured and killed on Western Australian farms. Farm Safety Week is an opportune time for farmers to consider making adjustments to their farming practices to ensure everyone, including visitors and children, remain safe on farms and stations.

Last year’s WA Farm Safety Award Winner, Rod Birch, has taken steps towards improving the safety on his farm.

Rod, who with wife Shelley crops wheat, canola and lupins at their property Catalina Farms, 30km south-east of Coorow, was presented last year with the CSBP sponsored award. Mr Birch said he had always considered risk mitigation a very important part of his farming enterprise and farm safety was a natural part of this process.

“The safety of our family members, our staff, contractors and visitors to the property is paramount,” he said. “It’s about being proactive rather than reactive so we have as many protocols in place to avert possible dangers or risks.”

“In 1998 we chose to adopt a QA (quality assurance) program for our entire business in the belief that eliminating the risks meant less problems and a more successful and enjoyable farming enterprise.”

 “This includes full farm safety induction for all new staff, regular updates for existing staff and promoting the mindset that we don’t take risks and they shouldn’t either.”

Farmsafe WA Alliance is an independent, not-for-profit, non-government organisation encouraging and leading the way to safer farming. We would like to encourage farmers to adopt a safety culture on their farm similar to Rod Birch and his family.

As part of Farm Safety Week, Farmsafe WA will be releasing daily media releases that will focus on key farm safety issues such as child safety on farms, road safety, noise injury prevention and four-wheel motorbike and machinery safety. Other checklists and information will also be made available for anyone interested.

For further information on Farm Safety Week and for further media releases click the link below or contact Michelle Taylor at the office on  (08) 9359 4118.

Monday 20th July 2009 Media Release Drive Safe

Tuesday 21st July 2009 Media Release Child Safety

Wednesday 22nd July 2009 Media Release Four Wheel Motorbike

Thursday 23rd July 2009 Media Release Hearing

Friday 24th July 2009 Media Release Machinery

Friday 24th July 2009 Media Release Conference

How can you help keep your children injury free?

Farmsafe WA, Kidsafe WA and Royal Life Saving Society WA are working together again to deliver workshops in the Mid West in June.

These FREE workshops provide tips on how to keep your children injury free at home, during play, on the farm, around water and on the road. Children are welcome!

Please see our Child Safety Workshops page for more information.

Avoid injury, always guard PTO powered machinery.

The most recent advert aired on GWN

This year Farmsafe WA Alliance was the lucky winner of the Department of Commerce Kidsafe WA Award.

Farmsafe WA was awarded the honour for the child safety on farms programs that have been delivered for over 5 years. This includes the development of the safe play area demonstration site, production of the safe play area DVD, delivery of child safety on
farms workshops and child safety information.

Download the official media release (106.39 kb)

February 2009 E-Newsletter

Here is our first newsletter for 2009, we hope you enjoy it!

Farmsafe February News.pdf (1.84 mb)

ADMINISTRATION OFFICER - Applications now closed

PART-TIME (20 hours)

Farmsafe WA Alliance is seeking an enthusiastic part-time administration officer to work as part of our small team based in Forrestfield.

As part of this role, you will assist the organisation to reach its business objectives by providing support to the administration of the business, quality customer relationships and procurement functions. Advice and understanding in relation to the organisation’s financial position is also to be provided to the Executive Officer.

The incumbent will have strong administration, communication and organisational skills. An interest in working within the agricultural industry is also desirable. Working hours are able to be negotiated.

Click here for the Position Description. Please send a CV and covering letter, addressing the Selection Criteria below, to Michelle Taylor, Executive Officer by email farmsafe@wn.com.au. Applications that do not follow these instructions will not be considered.

Applications will be accepted no later than 5pm Wednesday 22nd April 2009.

Selection Criteria

Essential

• Demonstrated experience in providing efficient administrative and accounts support.
• Good interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Well developed computer literacy skills in a variety of Windows based applications.
• Proven organisational skills and the ability to multi-task.

Desirable

• Good knowledge of the agricultural industry and agribusiness.

'What did you say? Preventing Farmer Hearing Loss' - FACES Grant from Australian Communication Exchange

Farmsafe WA Alliance has recently been granted funding to increase the awareness to farmers of noise injury and hearing loss using information kits and resources. The funding was kindly provided by the Australian Communication Exchange (ACE), Friends of Ace Support (FACES) funding program.

Through this program, the importance of preserving farmer's hearing and steps to do so will be provided to farmers through a number of activities such as field days, e-newsletters and agricultural colleges.  For more information, please contact us.

ACE is a national not-for-profit community-based company. ACE's mission is to ensure equity of access to communication channels for people who are Deaf or who have hearing or speech impairments, by providing a relay service through a contract with the Australian Government. For more information, visit their website http://www.aceinfo.net.au/.