NT WorkSafe is attending the 31st Annual NT Cattlemen’s Association Industry Conference on Friday 27 March as part of ongoing support for the industry. Workplace Health and Safety Inspectors will be available to assist with advice and provide information to help conference delegates manage health and safety in the workplace.
Director of Operations with NT WorkSafe, Neil Burgess said the cattle industry provides significant employment opportunities in regional and remote areas of the NT and has been identified as an important industry in developing North Australia.
“Nationally, agriculture as a broad industry group has been identified as a priority industry due to the high numbers and rates of injury and the hazardous nature of the work,” Mr Burgess said.
“With the current emphasis on developing the North, NT WorkSafe is focused on supporting businesses and workers to ensure the safety and as a consequence, the productivity of the workforce.”
“Aside from the obvious consequence to a worker who is injured at work, the work day’s loss through injury has an effect on a business’s productivity,” Mr Burgess said.
NT WorkSafe has commenced an information and advice campaign for the cattle industry which is scheduled to conclude in June 2015. The campaign involves Workplace Health and Safety Inspectors scheduling workplace visits with cattle stations to discuss the hazards which have been identified in the industry.
“Our Inspectors have been working their way down the Territory and ten cattle stations in the Douglas-Daly, Katherine and Northern Barkley regions have been visited.”
“There was a break due to the Wet Season, but we are ready to recommence our visits and will be contacting station in the Southern Barkley and Central Australia regions,” Mr Burgess said.
“Initially Station Managers have been cautious about the visits given the industry’s perception of NT WorkSafe, however once they realise the Inspectors are here to help, the visits have been positive and productive.”
Conference delegates are encouraged to visit the NT WorkSafe stand to have a chat with a Workplace Health and Safety Inspectors to see how they can assist.