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Second Chances - How to Prevent Near Misses and Incidents.

Agriculture is vital for our society. It supplies the food and resources we rely on every day.
What many may not realise is that agricultural work has its own specific challenges and risks. Signifying why it’s important to ensure the well-being and safety of those in agriculture.

Aligned with Farm Safety Week’s theme, “Second Chances”, we've put together a selection of blogs that explore the factors of farming that can lead to near misses. Hopefully, these provide useful insights into near misses and help you recognise the contributing signs.

Farm Safety Week 2025

From 20 - 26 July 2025, join the conversation by following our social media channels and using the hashtags below. We'll be posting daily blogs and resources for you to engage with.

Like, comment, and share to spread the word!

Daily Topics

Sunday 20 July -  Launch of the 'Second Chances' theme and the 2025 Safer Farms Report

Monday 21 July - Fatigue in Farming

Tuesday 22 July - Dangers of Inattention

Wednesday 23 July - Mental Health and Wellbeing

Thursday 24 July - Child Safety in a Workplace

Friday 25 July - Team Communication

Saturday 26 July - Managing Pressure on Farm

#Farmsafeaustralia #secondchances #farmsafety #nationalfarmsafetyweek #farmsafetyweek #keepsafekeepfarming #FSW25 #safeagsystems

Remember to sign up for our blog so you don’t miss out on the daily themes!

fatigue email - pexels

Fatigue in Farming

Yawning. Irritable. Struggling to stay awake. No energy or motivation. Can’t concentrate. Rubbing or closing eyes. Nodding off. Poor short-term memory. Near misses.

No, I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about the common signs and symptoms of fatigue. It’s one of the most common hazards on a farm, and the most underrated risk for everyone. Whether it's in a workplace or on the road, fatigue is something we want to avoid.

Continue reading >

inattention - newsletter

Dangers of Inattention

How often do we actually stop and think about something we do all the time? Do you put your left shoe on first, or the right?

We do things without thinking, subconsciously. Because we’ve done a particular thing so many times, we no longer make active decisions about it, as it’s just doing the same thing we’ve always done. We feel safe. We have a low sense of danger.

Inattention is a significant contributor to the majority of near misses and incidents. The trick is finding ways to get out of autopilot when doing dangerous jobs.

Continue reading >

easy on the ear, gentle on mind - FSW blog

Mental Health and Wellbeing

We are responsible for the workplace environment we create. It's important for workers to feel safe and secure in order to perform at their best. No matter the size, all farmers should prioritise the safety and well-being of their staff - both physically and psychologically.

Psychological safety is often overlooked compared to physical safety, yet it plays a crucial role in creating productive and efficient work environments. Did you know that psychological hazards can be managed using the same risk management process used to manage physical threats?

Continue reading >

girl holding a chicken

Child Safety in a Workplace

Farm life can be pretty chaotic when you’re running a business, raising children and managing a property. In most cases, you’re family life is entangled with your farm life. Childcare is a fantasy for those in rural areas, which means that younger children stick with you on farm.

But differentiating between a workplace and home can be challenging for a kid. And balancing parenting with high-risk tasks can be both distracting and dangerous.

Continue reading >

Client - Brian Cuddy - AIBG-1

Team Communication

Meet our client, Brian Cuddy, Coordinator of Australian Inland Botanic Gardens Inc (AIBG). AIBG depends on strong communication between staff and over 120 volunteers.

From time to time, there's a change of board members, staff and volunteers. With this challenge in mind, Brian knew the importance of ensuring clear and consistent communication across the various stakeholders. As Brian puts it, having a system “…binds all the important information together in one place.”

After finding a system that improved communication with volunteers, AIBG began digitising their policies, procedures, checklists and task assignments for ease of communication.

Continue reading > 

barbwire-fence

Managing Pressure on Farm

Pressure is a frequent aspect of farm. From time constraints, weather, family duties and the unexpected, sometimes things don’t go to plan. It’s stress-inducing.

With so many hours in the day, it can feel like you’re chasing the clock. But when urgency takes over, safety gets missed. And that's how Near Misses and Incidents occur.

By planning, you can feel in control of most situations, particularly when something goes wrong.

 

Disclaimer: Content on this website may be of relevance to users outside of Australia, but content links and examples are specific to Australia. Please check with your local authority for your country and industry requirements.

Tags: SAFETY NEWS