THIS week, I continue my discussion on farm-specific safety matters in light of National Farm Safety Week and I want to talk about the importance of ensuring that the plant and equipment on farms is properly maintained and repaired.
A farm is a place where you generally find a lot of different plant, equipment and vehicles.
You want to ensure that all of these items are properly maintained because if you don’t, then there is a risk that the plant, equipment or vehicle may not work as intended and may cause someone to be injured.
Separately to that risk, you may also be exposing yourself to prosecution for breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 if you operate the farm as someone conducting a business or undertaking. Prosecution can result in a monetary fine or imprisonment and Queensland has its own Work Health and Safety Prosecutor whose focus is currently on safety in the workplace.
The prosecutor was only appointed in March 2019 and is Queensland’s first.
Plant, equipment or vehicles on your farm should be sold with manufacturer guidelines including any maintenance requirements.
If you do not have the guides, then get in touch with the supplier or manufacturer directly for a fresh copy. Also make sure someone appropriately trained and qualified is maintaining these for you as improperly maintained items may create the same risks (and more).
Until next week – Keep it Legal!
Katie Caldow
kcaldow@walkerpender.com.au
*The legal information in this article is of a general nature only and not intended to be legal advice to rely upon.