Online info for shearing industry

Project manager Gerard Vaughan (left) and Te Ako Wools national manager Jock Martin discuss an...
Project manager Gerard Vaughan (left) and Te Ako Wools national manager Jock Martin discuss an online resource for shearing contractors and farmers during the World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery.
The World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships proved an ideal forum to seek feedback on a new online resource for shearing contractors and farmers.

It has been produced by the New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association and Federated Farmers, with support from ACC.

The resource, which was aimed at helping both contractors and farmers prepare and plan for shearing, was in the test phase.

Feedback was sought at the recent championships in Invercargill before it was finalised and opinions received there were encouraging, project manager Gerard Vaughan said.It contained audio-visual stories, advice and downloadable tools that could be used in day-to-day work.

The online module was based on  the process of shearing and broken down into sections, including preparing the shed, preparing sheep and the day of shearing. It was about keeping people in the wool harvesting industry safe and injury-free, Mr Vaughan said. Farmers and contractors had been consulted over what would make it an easier, better experience. The key issue was  making the shed safe and talking together and communication was key, Mr Vaughan saidVarious resources, including a woolshed "WOF" and risk register could be downloaded. Some of the resources already existed but not in one place, he said.

The resource was targeted at farmers and contractors, but it was also hoped to do something for the likes of shedhands and pressers.

WorkSafe agriculture sector lead Al McCone said the industry was taking "really positive steps" to take good information to shearers and farmers.

In 2014, 743 shearing industry people claimed for work-related injury through ACC, of which 127 required more than five days off work. Up to August last year, those injuries had incurred ACC costs of  $1.5 million. Those 127 people had a total of 11,850 days off, most of which incurred weekly compensation, which in effect, took 60-plus people out of the workforce for the six months they were most needed.

That also imposed an extra cost to the shearing contractor through the ACC levies, having to find someone else, and paying the first week compensation, and a cost to the worker because their income goes down, Mr McCone said.

The most common injuries were to hand/arm — many being cuts and strains —  followed by knee and lower leg and and lower back. Severe injuries were much the same. However, the major cost was in injuries to the lower leg, specifically knees.

ACC and WorkSafe supported initiatives, such as the new online resource, and he agreed communication was key.

"The wider message from us, especially around the farming industry, is around communication. If you’re talking about health and safety and the risks and managing those risks, the likelihood is the injuries will go down.

"What [they] have done, they have created this tool to enable those conversations to happen more easily.

"It’s part of a wider ‘let’s help farmers be safer on their farms because it’s good for their business’. That’s our main message."

If a shed was well set up, the gear well maintained, the press in good order, the shearers were of reasonable fitness, and the sheep prepared properly, the likelihood of injury went down, Mr McCone said.

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