BUSINESS KELLOGG REPORT
When old dogs don’t learn new tricks Words by: Elaine Fisher
R
ecording farm injuries and deaths are unfortunately a part of Nicky Barton’s working life. “These figures aren’t just data – every single number represents a person who has died, leaving massive holes in the lives of their families and loved ones,” she says. Nicky is talking about fatalities on New Zealand’s farms, and most recently the 23 people who died between January 2020 and August 2021. She is marketing and communications media manager for Worksafe and Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme 2019 graduate. Her work is the subject of the Kellogg Rural Leadership report she completed in November 2019 titled; “Old dogs, new tricks - An exploration of age and its influence on health and safety in New Zealand’s primary sector”. The study turned up some unexpected results. “I was surprised at the weighting of older farmers in the fatality statistics. I had not expected half of the fatalities to be those aged 60 and older. 34
“And that hasn’t changed since I did the research for the report. Of the 23 most recent fatalities, 11 or nearly half were 60 and over.” It’s the human tragedy behind the statistics which upsets Nicky. “When reading the reports of the deaths it’s clear that in some cases those closest to the deceased may have had a role to play in the fatality through something they have failed to do, or by doing something they should not have done. “In other cases, especially on sheep and beef farms, a report may record that a wife or partner was waiting for someone to come in for a cuppa. When they failed to do so, she (and it is usually a woman) has gone outside to find that the dogs are back but not their owner. “It’s then that she will go to find him, only to discover her loved one dead or dying.” That’s why, for Nicky, workplace health and safety isn’t about the need to comply because it’s the law. It’s about the need to comply to keep people safe. “It is all about people and protecting them from dying and from serious injury.” And “common sense and experience”,
WorkSafe is among the sponsors of the Young Farmer of the Year competition. Pictured is 2018 Grand Finalist Will Taylor.
often quoted by farmers as what’s required, won’t do that. “The problem is that common sense is not really all that common. What makes sense to one person, may not make sense to another and relies on consistency of experience, knowledge and practicality which may not exist in the same manner from person to person.” The aim of the research was to explore the relationship between age and influence in health and safety on NZ farms and to understand at what age people are being fatally injured, how they are fatally injured
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | October 2021
