The Importance of Policy Reviews: Learning from I'll Never Do That Again Experiences

The start of a new year is an ideal moment to pause and think about the previous year, reflecting on what we can take away from it. It’s not only a benefit for our own mental health and wellbeing but also fosters safer workplaces for everyone.

Reflecting on the last few years, we've all faced a range of new experiences, both positive and negative. Life on the farm can be quite challenging, with factors like isolation, natural disasters, extreme weather, changing commodity prices, financial uncertainty, supply chain issues, physical demands, and long working hours. With all of these factors it's understandable that members of our rural communities may be feeling the effects of depression and anxiety.

Living in a rural area can make it tough to ask for help, especially when you feel the need to keep your struggles private. If you're hesitant to visit a therapist or seek medical care, it can be challenging to talk about what you're going through. However, one silver lining of the global pandemic has been the rise of telehealth services.

“Data shows that rural communities often have lower life expectancies and face challenges in accessing healthcare, exacerbated by a shortage of healthcare professionals, especially General Practitioners (GPs), in Australia's rural regions.” - Primary Health Network

Mental health is often a taboo topic not to mention the stigma attached, according to Health Direct in Australia, “Rural farming communities are at greater risk of suicide than most other Australians.” This crisis has been labelled as one of the most significant health issues to affect a generation and it is unlikely you will find someone that has not felt its affects.

We need to raise awareness about the daily stressors and mental health struggles faced by farmers and rural communities. High stress levels and unaddressed mental health can impact your physical health as well. This can hinder your decision-making abilities, raising the risk of accidents or injuries on the farm.

We tend to learn valuable lessons from the experiences of others when they share their stories. So, it’s only natural to take the chance for reflection and awareness after enduring difficult times.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

1. How do I feel right now?

This works best when you schedule some time, it could be as little as 5 minutes. Are you stressed, are you anxious or are you feeling down? If you start to notice a pattern, start prioritising your mental health.

2. How have you been sleeping?

Have you noticed any changes to your sleeping pattern? Are you struggling to get to sleep, having restless sleep or waking too early?

3. Behaviour

Do you find yourself frequently snapping, suffering mood swings, difficulty focusing on a task or relying on food as a coping mechanism?

Sometimes it can be helpful to change your perspective by focusing on your achievements, it can also help you identify what you could do differently for the year ahead:

• What are some highlights from the past year?
• When have you succeeded in the past?
• What was the most important lesson that you have learnt over the past 12 months?
• What new skills have you learnt?
• What do I need to set me up for success?
• Start thinking how else you could approach a situation, when you start to have intrusive negative thoughts.

4. Support others

We know farmers are good at helping others, but terrible when it comes to seeking help for themselves. It’s up to us as a community to check on our friends, your family, even the neighbours!

Farm Safety

With this new level of self-awareness, you have the opportunity to take steps to prevent making the same errors as you did last year. Have you ever thought to yourself, “I’ll never let that happen again,” only to find yourself in the same situation a short time later?

What’s the connection between self-reflection and farm safety? As the new year begins, it’s a great time to evaluate and refine your processes and procedures, leveraging this insight to boost your performance in 2025.

Having clear policies and procedures is essential for maintaining safety and compliance on the farm. They also enhance the overall efficiency of your farming business, aiding both management and worker in their everyday responsibilities.

You can start by reviewing your policies and procedures.

• • Are they still serving their purpose, or can they be combined with another document?

  • Could any changes be made to improve the effectiveness of the safety document?

  • Do any points need to be clarified and language modified?

  • Were there any issues in the past with understanding, following, or applying the policy or procedure?

  • Perhaps you have identified a new policy or procedure your farm could benefit from?

  Give your workers a chance to put forward safety suggestions and develop alternatives. Learn more about Worker Consultation and different methods.

  Once you have implemented these changes to your documents, don’t forget to make them accessible to your workers and schedule any required training.

  Regularly reviewing your policies and procedures is vital since industry standards, organisational needs, and legal requirements can change over time. Waiting for an incident to prompt a review can be risky, as outdated documents may jeopardise your farm's safety.

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.