Farming is Considered Among the Most Dangerous Jobs in Australia!

According to data from AgHealth Australia last year, 1548 people lost their lives as a result of accidents while farming, since 2001.

Farmers ensure future food security. In addition to the crucial task of providing food, farmers perform a multitude of tasks that benefit the environment, economy, and society. Farmers take on many different roles as innovators, entrepreneurs, employers, and environmental stewards. Farmers’ daily chores do not consist of milking cows or raising grain for bread making. The farming profession has a much more complex structure. This profession interacts with many disciplines that have a positive impact on both the environment and the farmers’ own work.

While practicing the farming profession, many dangers can be encountered.

What are the Most Common Types of Agricultural Injuries?

Injuries because of accidents in farming are extremely common. While these injuries are not always fatal, injuries with short-term or long-term effects are also common. The causes of injuries can be environmental factors, equipment used, chemicals, etc.

• traumatic muscle and tendon injuries
• repetitive strain injuries (There is a lot of repetitive motion in the farming business. Depending on these, muscle strains are among the most common injuries)
• fractures
• injuries to the skin (it is common for farmers to be exposed to the sun because they work outdoors, to be stung and bitten because they come into contact with insects or some animals)
• Ear and eye injuries (farmers’ working environments can be dusty, windy environments. Working in these conditions may cause injuries such as eye irritation. In fact, long-term injuries such as retinal damage may occur. In addition, injuries such as hearing loss may occur due to loud machines used by farmers)
• heat-related injuries (farmers may sometimes be exposed to extreme heat or cold while working outside. In this case, discomfort such as heat stroke or hypothermia may occur)

Farmer Injury Statistics in Australia

According to data from AgHealth Australia last year, 1548 people lost their lives as a result of accidents while farming, since 2001. More than half of all events reported up to this period were older than 50 years of age. Also, more than 80 % of those who lost their lives were men.

In 2020 alone, 58 people lost their lives in the accidents that occurred, and deaths due to quad bikes accidents took the first place. (The data for 2019 showed that the number of people who lost their lives in accidents in a year was 58.)

In Australia, 131 non-fatal injuries were reported for the mentioned reporting period. 16 % of these are injuries of children under the age of 15. Just like the causes of death, tractor and ATV accidents are the leading cause of injury. Of the 131 reported injuries, 47 are related to ATV accidents, which is a fairly large proportion.

In addition, almost 60 % of the injuries occurred in Queensland.

Does getting injured while farming count as a work accident?

If the injured farmer is a self-employed farmer, he / she cannot be entitled to workers’ compensation as he / she cannot show anyone responsible for his injury. However, if he can prove that he was injured due to the negligence of his / her employer while working on behalf of another, the farmer has a chance to compensate.

If you think you’ve had a work accident caused by your employer’s negligence, no matter where you are, you can contact Withstand Lawyers.

Examples of What Employers Should Do to Keep Their Workers Safe in Farming

• The employer must take every precaution to ensure the safety of its employees.
• It should be ensured that all equipment used is suitable and working properly.
• It must have adequately trained its workers for the work to be done.
• Inspections should be done regularly.
• It must give its workers reasonable work for reasonable periods of time.

You may have the opportunity to claim compensation if you have suffered such an injury or if a person you are financially dependent on has died as a result of a work accident. You can contact the workers compensation lawyers in Sydney to find out what can be done with the details of the accident. In this way, it will be much easier for you to foresee the steps to be taken.