Between 2001 – 2004, 35 % of traumatic deaths on Australian farms were associated with plant and equipment, including workshop equipment.

Unguarded farm machinery, including grain augers, are responsible for hundreds of missing fingers, hand, toes and feet, making the auger one of the most dangerous machines on Australian farms.

“There are on average 66 farm fatalities in NSW, with over 1,500 farmers and farm workers hospitalised from farm work injury each year”, said John Temperley, Farm Machinery Safety Project Officer with the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety.

Farmsafe Australia has recently produced a safety guide for farmers, Guarding Grain Augers – a guide to fitting a more practical guard, to be used in conjunction with the Grain Auger Safety Guide produced by WorkCover NSW.

“There are many grain augers in use on NSW farms that have unguarded auger flights, belts, pulleys and drive shafts that can be properly guarded at little cost without affecting auger operation”.

“Some machinery like post‐hole diggers, involve guarding PTO drive shafts and not having workers near or around a rotating post‐hole digger”.

“Don’t work alone with a post‐hole digger and stop the post‐hole auger before shovelling dirt away from a post hole”.

For a copy of the practical guide of for further information contact the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety on 02 6752 8210 or email jtemperley@health.usyd.edu.au.