An inquiry into workplace safety in Western Australia's agricultural sector has recommended establishing a levy on industry to allow WorkSafe to increase oversight and hire six new inspectors.
WorkSafe independent inquirer Pam Scott has released her report into agricultural safety with eight recommendations to improve safety, the majority being supported by WorkSafe commissioner Darren Kavanagh.
The inquiry was established in June after 12 work-related deaths in the agriculture sector in the preceding year. Three workers have died on farms since the inquiry was launched.
Mr Kavanagh said the number of deaths in the industry was "significantly high".
"Looking at the circumstances of those incidents, I think if industry had applied some reasonable controls, they definitely could have been prevented," he told Nadia Mitsopoulos on ABC Radio Perth.
Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said she was yet to be briefed on the full scope of the report's recommendations, but said change was needed.
"I'm from a farming family, I do think farming businesses perhaps need to step up a little bit with regards to farm safety," she said.
"Perhaps, as small businesspeople, we are a little bit complacent about our own safety."
'Unnecessary risks' taken
The report identified a "risk-taking culture" in some sections of the industry, Mr Kavanagh said.
"Farmers tend to be quite resourceful. They're often working remotely, and the report has identified that some farmers do take unnecessary risks," he said, adding that the inquiry also highlighted many in the sector were keen to improve safety.
"I'm buoyed by the fact that there's been a lot of positive discussion.
"From my perspective, what we've got now is a really good blueprint to try and turn things around."
Between 2011 and 2021, 42 agriculture, fishing and forestry workers were killed at work.
The majority of them were working on farms and were either crushed by machinery, hit by vehicles or entangled in equipment.
The inquiry reported that agriculture had the highest number of deaths of any sector.
Ms Scott also found that injuries were under-reported.
Plan to boost inspection and education
The report also found that government and the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), which includes WorkSafe, needed to increase inspection activity.
WorkSafe has accepted the recommendation to bring in six new specialist inspectors.
Mr Kavanagh agreed there was significant improvement to be made with reporting serious injuries and incidents to the agency, and that legislated reporting requirements had recently been increased.
"What I'd like all industries to be doing is letting us know about those circumstances, so that gives us an opportunity to look at those incidents," he said.
"But also [we would] be able to report to industry about some of the trends and issues that we were able to analyze from receiving those notifications and reports."
One recommendation not being immediately supported is a proposal to introduce a levy on the industry, to be matched by government, to fund safety education.
Mr Kavanagh said that would require further discussion but in the meantime funding had been provided to WorkSafe to support increased advertising.
"We've found funding from within the agency's resources to partly support that," he said.
"But in terms of a levy, that's not something that that we will be able to support, we would need to discuss that with government, but also with the industry as well."
Industry group says education key
Safe Farms WA executive director Maree Gooch said the independent report seized on a number of key issues.
She said education and a change in attitude from both farmers and regulators would be a critical part of the response.
"Some in the ag industry think there is an impost of doing work health and safety on your business," Ms Gooch said.
"So I think we need to change the rhetoric around WHS and make sure it underpins every decision, because that will increase profitability."
She said WorkSafe inspectors needed to be mindful of the challenges farmers faced, while farmers needed to be aware that the inspectors were there to help keep people safe.
"The statistics don't lie, men over 55 are often more likely to be killed in a workplace accident, and 12 in 12 months is the highest [number of deaths] we've ever had," Ms Gooch said.
"It's a report, so it's up to industry to make a difference to itself."
