Queensland students are being encouraged to sharpen their pencils, unpack their paints and get set to enter the 2020 Farm Safety calendar competition!
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the annual competition was designed to get primary school children thinking about farm safety.
"Last year, we had over 1800 entries for the 2019 calendar, and now nearly 30,000 calendars are hanging in homes and workplaces throughout Queensland as a year-long reminder for everyone to stay safe on farms," Ms Grace said.
"Twelve winning drawings will be published in the 2020 Farm safety calendar, and the winning entrants will each receive a $250 voucher and $500 for their school."
Ms Grace said rural properties could be dangerous places if safety wasn't a priority.
"We're asking young Queenslanders who live, work and play on these properties to come up with images to remind people about some of the biggest risks - quad bikes, powerlines, farm machinery, sun safety, and dam and waterway safety," she said.
"Around three per cent of Queenslanders are employed in the agriculture industry, mainly in the livestock and horticulture sectors, yet the industry as a whole is responsible for more than 30 per cent of workplace deaths each year.
"The Farm Safety Calendar is a fun and rewarding way to get kids thinking about safety, and a prompt for their parents to think twice before taking a risk."
The competition is now open and all entries must be in by 28 June 2019. The winners will be announced in late September 2019, and the free calendar will be available from October 2019.
Details on how to enter the competition and previous winning entries are available at worksafe.qld.gov.au
How to enter
Primary school children are encouraged to draw and colour a picture to illustrate one of the following farm safety topics:
- Look out for machinery and vehicles because the driver may not see you.
- Quad bikes are a great tool, but they are not a toy. Ride ready – wear a helmet, never double, kids only use a kid-sized bike, get training, and ride on well-known tracks.
- Look up and live – powerlines and machinery don't mix.
- Be sun safe! Wear a hat, sunscreen and a long sleeve shirt when working in the sun. Don't forget to drink water and have rest breaks.
- Dams and waterways are dangerous places on farms. Stay away unless you have an adult with you.
- A fenced yard for young kids and toddlers to play in will keep them away from many farm dangers.
All entries should be submitted on white paper using the competition template from worksafe.qld.gov.au
