WorkSafe Tasmania

WorkSafe Tasmania

Safe and well every day

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry snapshot 2019

The workforce

This industry grouping covers a wide range of activities, separated into fifteen groups

  • Poultry farming
  • Sheep, beef cattle and grain farming
  • Dairy cattle farming
  • Fishing
  • Aquaculture
  • Other livestock farming
  • Deer farming
  • Fruit and tree nut growing
  • Mushroom and vegetable growing
  • Forestry and logging
  • Other crop growing
  • Nursery and floriculture production
  • Agriculture and fishing support services
  • Forestry support services
  • Hunting and trapping

6% of the total Tasmanian workforce

75% of workers are employed full time

7% of workers aged 65+, around twice the proportion statewide — the second highest of all industries

The injuries

477 injuries across the industry in 2019

44% of injuries in the last ten years resulted in at least one week off work

10.8 serious injuries per million hours worked

18% higher than the state average of 9.1

8% lower serious injury frequency rate in 2019 than ten years ago

The people

Workers aged under 34 reported the highest serious injury frequency rates

Sheep, beef cattle and grain farming reported the highest serious injury frequency rate at 22 serious injuries per million hours worked

1 in 3 workers injured in the last ten years worked in either Dairy cattle farming or Aquaculture

Farm, forestry and garden workers reported 51% of all serious injuries

The causes

The most common causes of injury across the industry

  • Body stressing
  • Falls, slips and trips
  • Being hit by moving objects
  • Hitting objects with a part of the body

Action areas

Priority conditions and causes identified in the WorkSafe Strategic Plan 2018-2023 relevant to the industry:

  • Musculoskeletal disorders
  • Hazardous manual tasks
  • Slips, trips and falls
  • Safe movement of vehicles and plant
Last updated: 1 July 2020
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