Growing operations have risks that need to be managed. Work on orchards and farms can be heavy and awkward, and it can involve working alone as well as long hours.

 The vast majority of injuries come from muscle strains from forceful or repetitive lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling. More serious issues are often linked to farm machinery, conveyors, all-terrain vehicles, tractors, and their attachments. Other hazards faced in growing operations include falls, slips and trips, lacerations, contact with electricity, fatigue, sun exposure, noise, working in confined spaces, and issues associated with chemical use.

Workplace injuries and illness can be prevented through the effective management of risks.

While health and safety is everyone's responsibility, it starts and the top, with the owner and manager setting the standard and ensuring everyone else gets behind the programme. You shouldn't view managing risk as paperwork and handbooks - it's about behaviour with people thinking and talking about safety regularly.

When assessing risks, involve the wider team as research shows that the more people involved in managing risk, the more likely the risks will be managed. More people making a farm orchard healthy and safe will mean fewer people will get injured or sick.

It's also important to keep health and safety top-of-mind as your operation changes from day-to-day, depending on a number of factors such as seasons, weather events, time of day, activity undertaken, even someone's mental state or physical condition.

Your on-farm health and safety doesn't need to be too complicated. The aim is to make it practical and align with the needs of your business. The takeaway message is to ensure risks are thought about before completing any task.