Start Your Induction Here: induction.farmsafe.org.au

The tool is free and seeks to further improve the safety induction of new workers.

Instructions on how to use the tool are below.

Workers:

1. Click on the 'Start Your Induction Here' button above
2. Register an account and sign in to the tool
3. Complete modules relevant to the work that you will be doing

OR

1. Workers complete their induction in discussion with the farm owner, manager, or person conducting the business undertaking (PCBU) after being invited by them to complete an induction.
2. A record of the induction and modules it has covered are emailed directly to the worker and the employer or person conducting the business undertaking (PCBU) - helping to simplify the record-keeping process. 

If you are a farm owner, manager or person conducting the business undertaking (PCBU) and wish to invite your employees to complete an induction;

1. Click 'Organisation'
2. Enter the emial of your employee and click 'Invite'
3. Once the employee has accepted the invitation, click 'Manage' next to their name
4. Search for an induction and click 'Add' to invite your employee to do the induction

If you wish to create a customised induction for your property;

1. Click on the 'Start Your Induction Here' button above
2. Click the menu button in the top right-hand corner of the page
3. Click 'Inductions' and select the 'Create new induction' button
4. Fill in the form and pick which modules (from the module listing) you wish to have as part of the custom induction that you invite your employees to complete

Disclaimer: This Induction Tool is intended as an online tool only and is designed to be used to increase risk awareness and knowledge of safe work practices. It is not legal advice and does not take the place of proper individualised on-farm workplace inductions, work, health and safety training or any other tailored steps which may be necessary to protect health and safety at specific worksites.

Employer’s Guidance For Use of the Farmsafe Australia Induction Tool

Under the legislation (WHS Act 2011), the employer or person conducting the business undertaking (PCBU) has the primary responsibility to provide a safe working environment. This means that it is up to you to ensure that you are regularly assessing and mitigating risks on your farm and that you have policies, procedures and safe practices in place to ensure that your employees, contractors, family and visitors on farm are reasonably safe. It is your duty to regularly consult with your employees on any matters that may affect their health and safety and keep records/evidence of these consultations.

Inductions are only part of your duty of care, but they are a very important part.

Online versus On-farm induction

Please be aware: An online induction does not cover off on your duty of care to your employees.

What does an online induction tool do for your business?

It is important that you understand that this tool is an online induction. It provides generalised farm safety information so that your new employees, contractors, family members or any visitors to your farm, can be aware of risks and hazards that they may encounter and have some practical knowledge about strategies to mitigate those risks. It provides information in a structured, modular way, so that a person new to your farm has some form of understanding of Australian farming practices and the risks and hazards associated with them.

This tool allows you to customise an induction by selecting modules that will be relevant to the person that you would like to induct online. You can then invite the person through an email to complete the modules prior to beginning work on your property, and the tool will provide you with information back on how they have performed in each module.

This information can be used to help inform subjects that you may need to go into greater detail on in your on-farm induction.

An on-farm induction provides you with an opportunity to give employees (or contractors, family members or visitors) information relating to health and safety that is specific to your farm.

What should be part of an on-farm induction?

An induction is a process that new employees, contractors, family members or visitors should go through on the first day (or first few days depending on the size of the business) of their new job in which you, the employer or PCBU, introduce them to your business and provide them with all relevant information to help them to be successful and safe in their new position.

However, an induction may also occur when there is a new piece of machinery, new vehicle or any other changes that may affect the health and safety of a worker – and each of your employee’s should be inducted into new equipment or machinery (or new processes), regardless of how long they have worked for you. Records should be kept to prove this induction has taken place.

A ‘new to your farm’ induction should include;

• A tour of the property with the provision of a detailed map (ensure that you provide information on where First Aid kits are located, where the incident/injury register is kept, where the toilets are, where you can safely store food, etc)
• An introduction to the HR policies and procedures including an employee’s rights and responsibilities. Please note, mental health and the wellbeing of your employees is part of your responsibility under WHS legislation so policies on bullying and harassment, sexual harassment etc are relevant for your farm.
• An introduction to the safety policies and procedures (such as Safe Operating Procedures, Risk Assessment Forms and training registers!)
• An introduction to machinery, equipment and vehicles that they will/may be using during their employment with you – it is important to remember that makes and models are different – just because they have experience in a tractor, doesn’t mean they know where everything is located in your tractor!
• An opportunity for each person inducted to ask any questions they may have – you should encourage them to ask questions or make suggestions during their induction and also while they are working for you.

Consultation

Consultation is key for work, health and safety. It is a legal requirement.

Employers and PCBUs have a duty to consult with all those whose health and safety may be affected by a situation such as changes to procedures, training requirements, decisions or changes to facilities, assessing and mitigating risks, etc.

But consultation is not just ‘I talk - you listen’.

All employees, contractors, family members and visitors need to have the opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions and actively participate in the conversation.

Inductions are part of consultation, but regular safety meetings (often known as Toolbox Talks) are an ongoing requirement. However, it is important that you don’t wait for a ‘meeting’ to consult if there is an issue or concern that may have an effect on health, safety or wellbeing.

Record Keeping

Documentation of consultation, and risk assessment/mitigation techniques is an important step to ensure that you have evidence that you take work, health and safety seriously, if there is ever an incident or investigation on your farm.

It can be as simple as writing notes in a diary, or as complex as a flashy WHS management system that you have purchased through a safety contractor. Find a system that works for you, implement it, and keep up with the practice.

All farms should keep an injury register. Any injury or illness that results from work on the farm should be recorded in this register, no matter how minor or major.

Work Health and Safety and Workers Compensation legislation requires employers and PCBUs to keep a record of work-related injury (including contractors). In the event of a serious injury or illness, a death or dangerous incident, the appropriate Work, Health and Safety Authority must be immediately notified.

In addition, Workers Compensation Insurers require employers and PCBUs to provide a record of the work-related injury and notify the Worker Compensation Insurer within a 48-hour period of the accident.

If any safety issue is brought to your attention, it is your job to resolve it in a timely manner. If the issue cannot be resolved, you should consult with a relevant farmer industrial association or safety consultant.

And to all the Owners/Managers out there – if a job is unsafe for your workers or contractors, it’s probably unsafe for you too.

Don’t put yourself at risk – the farm (and your family) needs you too! Take the time to properly assess and mitigate the risk.