Health and Safety
All farmers want to be healthy and injury-free but sometimes regulations with the best intentions cause significant compliance costs for our members.
Federated Farmers works to inject common-sense into health and safety requirements.
The Federation is an active member of the Agricultural Health and Safety Council with president Charlie Pedersen chairing the group.
Through the council Federated Farmers works with government departments to ensure regulations take into account the practicalities of farming.
Charlie is the spokesperson for Health and Safety on the National Board. Contact him: cpedersen@fedfarm.org.nz.
Our policy advisor for health and safety is William McGimpsey. You can contact him: 0800 327 646 or wmcgimpsey@fedfarm.org.nz.
Topdressing Airstrips
Topdressing airstrips are an essential part of many farming operations, and also a frequent site of agricultural accidents. Federated Farmers worked with other groups to develop a guideline for farm airstrips and aerial topdressing. Read the safety guidelines here.
ATV Safety
ATVs are commonplace on New Zealand farms, and ATV accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in agriculture. Federated Farmers has worked with other groups to produce an ATV guideline. Read guidelines here.
Rotary Cow Sheds
Federated Farmers has worked with other groups to produce a guideline for the safe construction of rotary sheds. This guideline identifies features which make a rotating platform safer, and recommended layout to reduce the likelihood of injury and strains. Read guidelines here.
Stock Truck Safety
Federated Farmers is an active member of the Stock Truck Safety Committee, which works to improve safety in the stock transportation industry. A stockyard and truck animal handling guide is currently being produced by the group.
Cattle Crush
Working with stock in yards has been identified as an area of key concern for farm health and safety. There have been a number of incidents and complaints involving cattle crush use in New Zealand. Federated Farmers is represented on the Cattle Crush Safety working group.
Member Fact Sheets
The Federation has a range of fact sheets available free of charge to members. Login to our members area to access health and safety advice.
