Health and safety

The OHS Act applies to all workplaces, including farms. As a farmer, you may be an employer, a self employed person, a manager, or a person in control of the farm and as such, you have legal responsibilities under the OHS Act. These include ensuring that the farm is a safe working environment without risk to the health of your employees all people (including family members, employees, visitors, contractors) are not exposed to risks to their health and safety arising from farm activities the means of entering and leaving the farm are safe and without risk to health. If you are an employer, you should consult with your employees and any health and safety representatives (HSRs) on matters that might affect their health and safety report serious incidents to WorkSafe Victoria. The reporting duty also applies if you are self employed. The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 have more detailed requirements for the identification and control of hazards associated with the use of plant such as quad bikes. If your employees use quad bikes, you must identify any hazards associated with the quad bikes and their use, and ensure that any risks are eliminated or reduced provide and maintain quad bikes that are safe provide and maintain safe work practices relating to quad bike operation, and provide employees with sufficient training and supervision so that they can work safely with quad bikes.