Pilots signal free workshops to improve farm vehicle safety

16 December 2013

Pilots signal more free workshops to improve farm vehicle safety

A plan to educate more dairy farming women in farm vehicle safety is being prepared by the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) in partnership with AGrowQuip after a successful pilot in the Waikato region in October - the month before the coroner released recommendations after an inquiry into five farming deaths on quad bikes.

The three pilot workshops in the Waikato which were free for all dairy farming women and their families were attended by 50 people.

Tokoroa dairy farmer Sarah Manders attended the Putaruru pilot workshop. Sarah owns and operates two dairy farms comprising 175 hectares, milking 400 cows.

Alongside her husband Sarah said she is very hands-on when it comes to the farm. She rides a motorbike but spends most of her time on a John Deere Gator – otherwise known as a side-by-side. She also uses the tractor, although not as much, which her husband taught her to operate.

“The farm vehicle safety workshop really made me stop and think, and look more closely at the little things I do every day that have become common practice. There definitely were a few ‘aha’ moments where I realised that I really could improve my safety.

“I think this workshop would also be really beneficial for farm workers as well because hearing from experts about how serious it can be when things goes wrong, rather than the ‘boss’ harping on about it is also more effective. They’ll also get to participate in the group discussion which was really valuable for sharing practical ideas and learning from other people who do what you do,” said Mrs Manders.

Putaruru farmer Lynley Mathis also attended the workshop. Lynley owns and operates a 180 hectare farm milking around 400 cows.

Being sole operators and with no staff to rely on, Lynley and her husband are acutely aware of the need to keep safe while farming. Getting injured is simply out of the question.

Lynley has a lot of experience when it comes to operating farm vehicles and it was a ‘natural interest’ that grabbed her attention when she attended the pilot workshop.

“You do get blasé about what you are doing so a reminder about the best and safest way to operate and handle your vehicles is always a good idea. The videos that John Deere’s product specialist showed us were realistic examples of what can happen when your attention is distracted or you’ve entered ‘automatic mode’ because you do something so often – it doesn’t mean the dangers aren’t there. The discussion group and videos were a really good reminder to always be vigilant about safety,” said Mrs Mathis.

AGrowQuip chief operating officer Alan Cottington said he agrees with all the coroner’s recent recommendations about quad bikes, particularly making training more accessible and improving the need for protection devices.

“Having a safe vehicle is only one part of the equation; knowing how to operate it properly is also just as important but an instruction manual doesn’t build a practical skill set. When we were considering how we could contribute to improving the industry’s skill level in vehicle safety we approached the Dairy Women’s Network because they have a significant membership base and fantastic reputation, and then things progressed relatively quickly from there to delivering the pilot workshops.”

DWN executive chair Michelle Wilson said the Network would like to deliver the workshops as an annual event in regions across the country.

“Our members share what they learn with their families, on-farm teams and other people in the rural community, so we have the ability to have a positive impact on thousands of people.

“We are currently working with AGrowQuip and its networks to bring together a plan and the people required to make this training happen for the benefit of the entire industry. We hope to be ready to deliver more workshops in 2014. People can visit our website or follow our Facebook page which will have more information as soon as it is available.”

The vehicle safety training will include understanding the safety features of modern farm machinery compared with older models including transmission braking and anti-stall devices; how to drive farm vehicles safely in undulating and hilly terrain; understanding the importance of using safety features such as shields and seat belts, basic maintenance for keeping machinery safe to use and rules and regulations for driving farm vehicles on the road.

ENDS

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