- Hon Brooke van Velden
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden has announced targeted consultation with farmers and the wider agriculture sector to ensure health and safety regulations reflect the realities of farm life.
"I'm consulting with rural Kiwis in the agriculture sector on changes that will ensure health and safety requirements are workable and practical," says Ms van Velden.
"Farmers know their farms and the risks that come with farming life better than anyone. They've told me the law needs to recognise that the farm is often both their workplace and their home. That includes making space for children to safely learn and contribute to farm life in ways that are safe and age-appropriate."
One proposed change is to amend the General Risk Regulations to make it clear that young people can safely take part in light chores on family farms.
We'll be consulting with farmers and the agriculture sector on the thresholds for light chores children can do on farms, like collecting eggs, feeding small animals and watering plants, while ensuring safety is not compromised. I expect higher-risk activities such as being near heavy machinery like a hay baler will remain off-limits. As children grow older, they'll be able to undertake more complex tasks with supervision and training, such as driving a tractor.
These changes will give confidence to farming families that their children can continue to be involved with the family business.
"I have also heard that farmers and forestry operators want industry-led codes of practice that reflect real-world conditions. I have asked WorkSafe to develop two Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) in consultation with the agriculture sector.
While compliance with ACOPs is currently voluntary, as part of my health and safety reform, I am making a change to the ACOP model to reassure people that if they comply with an ACOP, they have done enough to meet their health and safety duties.
WorkSafe will be developing an ACOP on roles and responsibilities in agriculture to help farmers navigate work activities. In particular, it will provide clearer guidance on overlapping duties and PCBU responsibilities in agriculture.
"Farmers and other businesses coming on to the farm need to know what health and safety duties they are each responsible for and how they can best work together to manage the risks. For example, if a fencing contractor is working on a farm, both the contractor and the farmer will need to manage risks relating to their work, like moving vehicles or the use of agricultural sprays.
Another ACOP that will be developed will focus on the safe use of farm vehicles and machinery, ensuring guidance reflects how modern farms operate. It will cover the safe use of quad bikes, tractors, light utility vehicles such as side-by-sides, and two-wheel motorbikes, as well as farm machinery.
"Too many people are killed or seriously injured in quad-bike related incidents. However, I understand there are varying practices and views on what protections will best enhance safety and reduce harm.
"It is important that the ACOP provides practical, workable advice on the safe use of quad bikes and light tractors in a variety of circumstances to help address the high rates of harm.
"I expect WorkSafe to work closely with the agriculture sector when developing these ACOPs to ensure that any rules are sensible and workable. It is important that farmers who know their work best are able to help shape the rules that will help keep them safe," says Ms van Velden
"These changes will save time and costs for businesses and workers as we cut red-tape to make it easier to do business. When our Kiwi businesses thrive, there are more jobs and lower prices for all New Zealanders."
