Step inside Duncan Young's chemical storage shed near Beverley in the west of WA's central
wheat belt, and you step into a highly organised example of industry best practice for on-farm
chemical storage management.
We built it in the early 90s and I think for us it was an investment in safety and also being
able to contain our chemicals in a lockable spot in one part of the farm.
Many growers are familiar with the need for data safety sheets, and a pre application
chemical plan.
But while there are National Codes of Practice for storing hazardous substances, there are
no legislated minimum standards for on-farm chemical storage, which can expose growers,
workers, family members and farm visitors to risks.
Duncan's purpose-built storage shed, incorporating height and ventilation, has all the recommended
features to reduce risks of accidents and injuries.
So we've got a cemented bunded floor which is a necessity, the fact that it allows you fork lift access.
We've got both an area on the floor where we can put 1000 litres shuttles and enviro drums.
We've got pallet racking that allows us to put up
smaller chemicals, and the 20 litres and 10s.
The floor slopes to the back we also have a drain here that goes to a sealed tank underground
and as you can see on the ground here earlier in the year
we had a 20 litre that actually ruptured. We lost 5 litres of the chemical onto the floor.
We were able to deal with it and actually clean down and not cause any the chemical
it and clean down and not cause any environmental problems.
Safe Farms WA raises awareness about risks and hazards on rural property.
But with 18 pieces of legislation involving chemical safety, the task can be complex.
Safe Farm's Maree Gooch says most growers do the right thing when handling hazardous
substances, and storage facilities such as Duncan's, are a cost-effective example of
actively putting safety first.
The investment is in safety and the investment is in efficiency in your business.
So this shed is set up well for efficiency but also set up really well for safety.
There are signs up, the wash facilities etc but most of all the chemicals are in their
sections and Duncan knowns where to get whatever or his workers know exactly where to go whatever
they need so it's very much about safety and it's really impressive.
Duncan's safety-first approach extends beyond his shed and into the paddock.
A nurse truck, loaded with chemical and fresh water, enables efficiency and safety, by
injecting chemicals straight into the boom spray, eliminating double-handling, and potentially
tiring return-trips to the chemical shed for workers.
Additionally, the sprayer features a well-stocked first aid kit.
So we have a sealable box so no chemical or dust can get in, within it we have PPE gear.
So we have gloves, we have a mask and we also have our spray suit
which we can put on and take off after we've been handling chemical
and we've also got a first aid kit if we need it.
Personal Protective Equipment is actually really important.
So it might save your life and it certainly might save you getting splashed.
Your eyes and your actual genital area are 12% more likely to ingest chemicals
so do wear the PPE gear, the glasses and the aprons or the onesies
and don't be wiping your hands sort of here on your front.
Labelling is another risk area.
There's no consistent colour coding for drums, and faded or peeling labels can lead
to disastrous mistakes being made.
They will rip really easily.
Whenever chemicals turn up at the farm when they're first delivered, the first thing we do for
insurance or peace of mind is to grab a permanent marker and write on it exactly what it is.
That way there's no confusion when the person goes to put the enviro coupler on.
They know exactly what the chemical is.
Penalties for failing to provide a safe workplace range from 50,000 to millions of dollars.
Accredited training for safe chemical management is available via Safe Farm's AusChem Training.
A refresher course takes one day so it's not cumbersome and for growers to be aware while
they're using chemicals and they might think do I really need that
it's just what they actually sometimes learn from
those in the rooms so shared wisdom of other growers and peers is the best thing they can
learn as well as having the accredited training.
I think the confidence that we're providing a safe work environment
not only for myself but for my employees as well
and that they feel safe when they come to work,
and we want people to go home at the end of the day fit and healthy.