New guide launched for shearing shed safety

Australian Wool Innovation and WA Shearing Industry Association have launched the newly developed SafeSheds, The Shearing Shed Safety Program.

AWI’s General Manager, Woolgrower Services Stephen Feighan said this an important program for woolgrowers.

“The shearing industry is one of the most physically demanding occupations out there. As an industry we need to do as much as is possible to reduce the risk of injuries and accidents occurring in shearing sheds as well as provide the best working conditions possible.

“Not only will this go a long way to increase entry, retention and longevity of staff, it will also improve industry productivity and profitability”.

 

SafeSheds, The Shearing Shed Safety Program is a new best practice guide and assessment resource which has been developed with input from right across the industry. It aims to:

• Provide employers with an understanding of their duty-of-care obligations
• Provide a best practice guide, checklists and a handy mobile app to assist woolgrowers shearing contractors and shed workers to assess their current shearing shed working conditions, environment and equipment
• Allow woolgrowers to create an improvement program to improve and comply with modern workplace standards
• Make the workplace safer for all participants with health and safety as priorities for the wool harvesting industry by identifying and rectify safety hazards and providing options to manage risks and conditions in the shearing shed.
• The new program will be rolled out with the support of global technology company SafetyCulture and its flagship workplace safety inspection app. iAuditor.

  The guide and self-assessment tools have been developed to provide woolgrowers and shed staff with a better understanding of the risks and options to mitigate those risks.

  By planning and documenting the improvements and steps to control risk, woolgrowers will be able to provide direct evidence of efforts in managing safety as required by relevant State Workplace Health and Safety Legislation.

  The program has four sections:

  1. Legal Obligations of people involved in shearing
  2. Guidance on how to assess and manage risks by using this assessment guide
  3. Detailed best practice guidelines for all areas of shearing operations
     – Module 1 – The shearing shed
     – Module 2 – Machinery and equipment
     – Module 3 – Amenities and facilities
     – Module 4 – Work practices
     – Module 5 – General working conditions
  4. Assessment checklists
     – Full assessmen
     – Pre-shearing checklist
     – Induction checklist
     – Post shearing checklist