Farmer Safety Manual

The Farmer Safety Manual is a step-by-step guide to building and maintaining a practical safety system for a dairy farm. It is organised into 15 topics, so a farm can work through the manual at its own pace and put a safety system in place as it goes. 

The manual is supported by the local Dairy Australia Regional Team, which delivers workshops and can support a farm to use the templates and tools within each topic. 

Explore a topic below

Starting Out

Induction, the safety system snapshot, and workplace policies.

Quads & Motorbikes

The leading cause of death on farms.

Farm Vehicles

Risks of run-overs, ejection and falls from vehicles.

Tractors & Mobile Plant

Powerful machines with attachments and moving parts.

Fixed Plant

Good design and guarding are the key.

Contractors

Legal and safety responsibilities when engaging contractors.

Confined Spaces

Every dairy farm has them — managing the risk.

Working at Heights

Minimising the need to work at heights.

Power & Electrical

Minimising the risk of electrocution.

Manual Handling

Making work easier and more productive on farm.

Working with Livestock

Systems to make working with livestock safe.

Farm Chemicals

Safe use and storage of chemicals.

Water & Effluent

Drowning is the leading cause of death for young children on farms.

Water & Effluent

Drowning is the leading cause of death for young children on farms.

Visitors, Children & Traffic

Keeping children and visitors safe on farms.

Common questions

What is the Farmer health and safety manual?

A step-by-step guide to building and maintaining a practical safety system for a dairy farm, organised into 15 topics.

What topics does the manual cover?

Fifteen topics spanning vehicles and machinery, plant, chemicals, livestock, working environments and people — including farmer health, farmer wellbeing and workplace mental health.

How is the manual used?

A farm can work through each topic at its own pace, using the templates and tools, with support and workshops from the local Dairy Australia Regional Team.