Contractors
On a dairy farm, a farm business must manage the health and safety of contractors as it would for any worker. ('Worker' here is the work health and safety term, which covers contractors as well as employees.) This includes a site-specific induction before the work begins, and making sure the work is completed safely, according to agreed procedures.
Contractors are often engaged for hay and silage making, picking up calves and other livestock, building and maintenance, veterinary work, herd testing, artificial insemination, delivering fuel, grain and feed, fertilising, fencing, and milk pickup.
Managing contractor safety well is not only part of a farm's safety duties — it also supports contractors to do their tasks effectively.
The Contractor induction and Contractor induction (silage) procedures are in the Standard Operating Procedures template library. Whether a person is genuinely an independent contractor — a separate, legal question of employment status — is covered on the Contractors page.
Common questions
Does a farm have safety duties to contractors?
Yes. A farm business must manage the health and safety of contractors as it would for any worker, including a site-specific induction before work begins and ensuring the work is done safely to agreed procedures.
What is a contractor safety induction?
A site-specific induction covering the farm's hazards and agreed safe procedures before the contractor starts work. A checklist supports this, and each contractor can keep a copy and share it with their workers.
Is managing contractor safety the same as deciding whether someone is a contractor or employee?
No. This page is about the work health and safety duty to contractors. Whether a person is genuinely an independent contractor is a separate, legal question covered on the Contractors page.