We kicked off Candid Conversations 2025 with a hot topic. And it turns out a lot of agribusinesses were interested to learn more about conducting WHS audits - the benefits as well as the inspection of your farm! We made it our mission, along with Tania Stone, to remove the audit anxiety so you could feel confident and prepared for your next audit.
Tania is a Director and Principal Consultant with Continu Risk Management, a farm & commercial safety and risk management provider. Specialising in audits and gap analysis, Tania has over a decade of risk management, supporting agricultural businesses ranging from small family operations through to large corporates. Providing a practical approach to helping businesses, Tania’s straightforward risk management processes effectively protect both people and operations.
In this Candid Conversation, Tania covers a range of topics - from what is a WHS audit and inspection, when to consider external audits, and her step-by-step action plan.
Farming can be very fulfilling, but it also carries significant risks. As many of you are aware, it is one of the most dangerous industries in Australia. Often ranking among the top three for workplace fatalities annually.
Ag Health Australia released their latest report focusing on injury events that occurred between the period 1st of January to 31st of December 2024. A total of 72 on farm deaths were reported in Australian print and online media. In the corresponding period for 2023 there were only 32 cases.
For the 2024 period - side by sides, quad bikes and tractors were reported most frequently. With side by side vehicles attributing to 14 of those fatalities, quad bikes 10 and tractors 8. Out of the total number of cases, males were involved in 63 out of the 72 on farm fatalities. In addition to that 133 non-fatal on farm injury events were reported in the Australian media for the 2024 period.
Safe Work Australia have also released figures relating to the financial year 2022-23 with a recording of 29 fatalities in that reporting period and a further 2,764 injury claims. The average compensation paid in the financial year 22-23 period was approximately $13,000 per worker, with an average of seven weeks that a worker was off work recovering from their injury.
When it comes to compliance it’s important to remember the application of reasonably practicable (section 18 of the WHS Act).
In relation to a duty to ensure health and safety it means that which is or was at a particular time reasonably able to be done to ensure health and safety. Taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters which include:
the likelihood of the hazard or the risk concerned occurring
the degree of harm that might result from that hazard or the risk
it also includes what the person concerned knows or ought reasonably to know about the hazard or risk
the ways of eliminating or minimising the risk
There are a lot of resources available, particularly on the state-based SafeWork websites that will give you information on hazards and risks specific to your industry and how you can eliminate or minimise them.
The initial step you should take is to recognise the risks linked to your agribusiness. A great way to achieve this is by using a risk register. Take some time to reflect on all the activities in your agribusiness and consider what could potentially lead to harm.
Make a comprehensive list of everything on your farm and the activities you engage in and identify potential dangers they may pose to people. Finally, develop strategies to manage those risks effectively.
As you begin your internal inspections and audits, it's important to identify all your hazards and risks. Once you have that information, you can plan your inspections throughout the year. For instance, in January, you might want to check your chemical storage sheds to ensure they remain compliant. That everything is stored correctly, and that everyone has the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for handling chemicals. Consistently reviewing and checking your systems, infrastructure, and processes ensures that everything is functioning properly and remains effective.
Consultation is an important part of the process, offering a fantastic chance to involve your team. When everyone gathers around the table, it's incredible how many new ideas emerge that you might not have considered. It's essential for individuals to collaborate rather than tackle everything alone; gathering everyone's insights is key to creating a prioritised action plan. What’s Tania’s tip if you’re struggling with worker engagement and consultation?
make it an informal chat with your workers on a regular basis
ask them questions - what are some of the challenges and barriers that you're facing in doing your job
turn your documents into videos
keep the information in your documents to the key information that they need to know
They're both important for different reasons. An inspection targets immediate dangers and risky behaviors through checklists and direct observation. Its goal is to pinpoint immediate hazards and risks in the workplace, including unsafe conditions, equipment failures, or unsafe practices. Inspections are carried out regularly based on the type of work and the associated risks.
For example:
daily pre-start checks on your machinery before you use it
scheduling in monthly inspections on different areas of your farm such as your chemical storage
An audit offers a thorough review of your complete safety management system. Its goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of your systems and to see how well your entire safety framework is functioning. These audits are typically performed once or twice a year, depending on the size and complexity of your business.
One of the main advantages is the ability to detect risks early. By regularly inspecting your workplace and performing internal audits on your systems, you'll be able to spot new risks and hazards much sooner than if you didn't.
Encouraging more staff participation and responsibility is key. Tania suggests creating a yearly inspection schedule for different areas. Each month, assign someone from each area to conduct these inspections. It doesn't need to be the same person every time. If your business is small, with just a couple of team members, you could even team up for inspections. For instance, you might visit the chemical storage shed together, review the checklist, and discuss your findings on-site.
By identifying risks early and involving your workers more, you can reduce incidents and downtime. This approach also enhances your compliance, as it ensures you’re consistently reviewing your systems, checking for hazards and risks, then implementing necessary controls.
This means you're making progress towards compliance every day, and it fosters a positive safety culture. It demonstrates to your workers that safety is truly important to you as an agribusiness owner, rather than just a formality.
Internal WHS audits delve deeper into your safety management system. During these audits, you'll review your policies, procedures, and training. It's important to ensure that your safety policies are current and compliant with the latest legislation. When were they last reviewed, and are they still effective?
The same goes for your procedures and standard operating procedures - do they accurately reflect current practices, or have work processes changed? Additionally, check your training records to confirm that everyone has completed the necessary training for their roles, both internal and external.
For instance, if someone started as a tractor operator and has now transitioned to chemical spraying, have they completed the relevant SOPs and obtained their chem cert? Also, ensure that the right number of people have first aid certificates and training for confined spaces or working at heights, especially if those are hazards on your farm. It's essential to keep your training records updated and determine if anyone needs a refresher.
It's important to review your incident logs to see if any incidents are being reported. Sometimes, people might choose not to report issues, thinking they're fine. When we discuss incidents, we often focus on injuries, but property damage is also a concern. By analysing your incident logs, you can identify trends in the types of incidents occurring, which can help you assess whether your safety measures are working or if they need to be updated.
Additionally, it's beneficial to talk to your workers about their daily experiences. Are the operating procedures accurately reflecting the actual work being done? This is important and can be uncovered through audits and inspections, ensuring that your policies align with your practices.
This is just a glimpse of the key subjects Tania discusses in our Candid Conversations: Conducting a WHS audit. We certainly didn't share every single tip and trick in this blog, so be sure to check out the full conversation below!
Topic: Candid Conversations
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