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Health and safety action group Safer Farms is urging farmers to make sure everyone working on farm has safe, suitable footwear for the job.
Safer Farms ambassador Lindy Nelson said slips, trips and falls are among the leading causes of injury on New Zealand farms, with unsuitable or worn-out footwear a major contributing factor.
To get farmers thinking about the state of their footwear, Safer Farms is running a #BootsOfShame competition offering the chance to win a pair of boots worth $729.
“We’re encouraging farmers with old farm boots sagging around the ankles or gumboots running
low on tread to send us a photo.”
The right footwear was a simple but important line of defence.
“We cannot prevent every injury but we can make sure our footwear is up to the job. Boots with good grip, toe protection around livestock or machinery, and the right support for the task are simple choices that can make a real difference.”
Safer Farms partnered with PGG Wrightson to offer a $50 discount on eligible boots or gumboots priced at $149 or more. The offer was available in store and online throughout October.
Canterbury farmer David Birkett knows first-hand what can happen when footwear does not
provide adequate ankle support.
The experienced arable farmer was preparing to move irrigation equipment and wore standard
gumboots because he was working with water.
In a hurry, he stepped onto the tractor’s front wheel instead of using the steps and jumped from
the cab. He landed on uneven ground, rolled his ankle and chipped a bone.
Although gumboots were fit for the irrigation work, they did not provide the ankle support
needed when landing on rough terrain. — Allied Media
