Following the 12th fatality in 12 months in the Western Australian agricultural industry, WorkSafe Commissioner Darren Kavanagh established an Inquiry and appointed an Independent Inquirer.
The Inquiry report into the agricultural industry in Western Australia and WorkSafe’s response has now been released.
WorkSafe plans to work with industry stakeholders, worker representatives and peak bodies to further drive work health and safety improvements in the sector, in line with the recommendations provided in the Inquiry Report.
The Commissioner thanks the Independent Inquirer, Ms Pam Scott, for her thorough review of the work health and safety issues currently facing the agricultural sector in Western Australia.
Terms of reference
Show moreThe Inquiry considered a range of issues and recommendations on matters that affect the safety performance of the agricultural industry and have influenced the increase in deaths.
The Inquiry’s Terms of Reference included:
- Analysing circumstances of all deaths and serious injuries in the agricultural industry in Western Australia for five years to 30 June 2022;
- Comparing the number of deaths and serious injuries in agriculture in Western Australia with other industries in Western Australia and with the agricultural industry in other Australian jurisdictions, including changes or trends over the five years to 30 June 2022;
- Incident data collection and coordination across Australia for the past five years, considering agricultural work activities that cause fatalities, but which are not recorded due to the scope of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification Code (ANZSIC) for agriculture;
- Recommending strategies, performance measures and targets to reduce and eliminate deaths and serious injuries;
- Workplace based consultation, participation and representation provisions, including the appointment, powers and functions of health and safety representatives and committees;
- Measures to ensure State and Local Government policies, training and support to the agricultural industry is effectively aimed at eliminating deaths and serious injuries in the industry;
- Enforcement and compliance including the role and powers of Work Health and Safety (WHS) inspectors and the application of enforcement tools including policy and codes of practice;
- Arrangements to improve the health and safety of those engaged in high risk work and the use of certain plant and hazardous substances;
- Issues affecting the industry associated with environmental factors such as the global pandemic and external influences;
- The role of WHS regulatory agencies in providing education, advice and assistance to duty holders;
- Other measures to support the ongoing resolve of the WHS regulator (the WorkSafe Commissioner) and the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) to reduce fatalities and incidents on farms.
