Coronial recommendations must be practical

Federated Farmers is willing to contribute towards a major new study into whether coroners' recommendations are being acted upon.

“Overall, we find recommendations incredibly helpful in reducing not just on-farm deaths but accidents too.  I have just finished reviewing a clearly written coroner’s report relating to a farm death,” says David Rose, Federated Farmers health and safety spokesperson.

“We value our relationship with the Chief Coroner Judge Neil MacLean.  Judge MacLean even addressed a province last year on the sensitive subject of rural suicide.  I have also fronted an ACC campaign to highlight common causes of on-farm accidents.

“Coronial recommendations have fed into the improved design of rotary cowsheds right through to keeping children safe from farm hazards; something factored in our Variable Order Sharemilking Agreement 2012.

“These recommendations and consultation with ACC and the Department of Labour, led us last year to release agriculture’s first comprehensive Health and Safety Manual.

“While coroners make recommendations, many of them pertinent and relevant, they also need to ensure their recommendations are tested and above all, practical.

“Last year, the Wellington coroner recommended quad bikes be fitted with roll cages and lap belts.  This would have made quad bikes more dangerous and we were not alone in expressing that.

“The Department of Labour pointed out to the coroner quad bikes need to be ‘actively ridden’ so lap belts would have made this extremely difficult.  Complete roll over protection we believe would dangerously alter a bike’s centre of gravity too.

“It’s why Federated Farmers focus has been on education and looking at practical safety features.  Small things like hot grips in winter as well as general bike maintenance have been factors but the biggest one is human factors.

“Farmers identify with the real nature of what happened so long as its presented in farmer speak.  We’re practical people.  We want to know what could have been done differently without it becoming a lecture.

“It’s how the message is presented as much as the message itself.  That’s been central to the recent successful ACC/Federated Farmers safety campaign.

“I guess what we’d like to see are the coroners proactively working with specific industries where it involves equipment recommendations or modification,” Mr Rose concluded.