Why this Victorian farmer took action to make his farm safer for his family

Stock and Land

Victorian farmer Scott Arnold shares how joining a safety network helped him improve safety practices on his family farm

Transcript

00:00I'm Scott Arnold. I'm a broadacre farmer in the Wimmera, Rapaniop North,

00:04growing crops and a few sheep.

00:07I'm a fourth generation on this farm. We've been here for 100 years

00:10and I live on the farm with my wife and two children.

00:15Currently work full-time with my father.

00:17So my safety journey, I guess, it was a bit stop-start for a while.

00:21Tried to talk to some mates and I suppose the wheels were spinning a bit.

00:25So for me, the safety learning network came at the perfect time.

00:28It really helped me get a foothold and make a start.

00:31Having those safety conversations and in the format that it was with other farmers,

00:35it really freed up the conversation.

00:38After the safety network, I understand I need to have a formal induction,

00:41which I used to do inductions, but I didn't have a process in place for it.

00:44I brought someone independent in to help me with that.

00:47Having that documented became a really good tool for us as a learning tool.

00:54The visit I received from WorkSafe was a targeted one

00:57to the area.

00:58So I rang Scott up and he was more than willing and actually excited

01:02to have WorkSafe come out and perform an inspection.

01:05I'd been struggling with the appropriate signage for my chemical shed.

01:09We worked through those different things, looking at his chemical register,

01:13ensuring that he had appropriate separation of incompatible chemicals,

01:17the right PPE for those chemicals.

01:19His approach to it was fantastic.

01:21It actually gave me more belief in what I was doing

01:24and more confidence to continue on that journey.

01:26If I've got a weakness, it's a weakness in my business

01:28and it's something I want to rectify.

01:30I actually think it's a really good learning tool.

01:32The best thing about Scott is always willing to listen and learn

01:35and continuously improve along the way.

01:39So the changes we've made on the farm definitely made me sleep better at night.

01:43To actually improve the business, now because we go through those processes,

01:46I'm confident that everyone knows the right way to do stuff

01:49or the right way to respond.

01:51Initially, I had to put some time into it,

01:52but I think now we're further down the path.

01:55It's actually saving us time and making the operation more efficient.

02:00The worst thing that could happen would be if, for me,

02:03if I was to leave the girls behind.

02:05It's my greatest fear,

02:07especially if it was as a result of something I could have stopped.

02:10It's my greatest fear,

02:11it's my greatest fear,

02:12it's my greatest fear,

02:13it's my greatest fear,

02:14it's my greatest fear,

02:15it's my greatest fear,

02:16it's my greatest fear,

02:17it's my greatest fear,

02:18it's my greatest fear,

02:19it's my greatest fear,

02:20it's my greatest fear,

02:21it's my greatest fear,

02:22it's my greatest fear,

02:23it's my greatest fear,

02:24it's my greatest fear,

02:25it's my greatest fear,

02:26it's my greatest fear,

02:27it's my greatest fear,

02:28it's my greatest fear,

02:29it's my greatest fear,

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