How did you get involved in health & safety?
The day I stepped onto our farm I got involved in health and safety. It was the same day that I became aware that a lot of what we did was reliant on operator skill rather than inbuilt safety. I was on the back of a three wheeler going up a fence line and the vehicle rolled. My future husband had been going up that fence line all day. One condition changed which tipped the bike. New to farming, it struck me how dangerous farming could be and that we were injuring and killing too many farming folk.
What place does H&S have in your current role?
When the opportunity presented itself to chair Safer Farms it was one I couldn’t turn away from. It had nagged me during my farming career that we hadn’t solved the challenge of reducing harm. As employers of a farming team, their safety is something I think about daily. I am privileged that I can take the work Safer Farms is doing and get real feedback from our team.
What will be your biggest challenge in the next 12 months?
Getting in front of enough people so together we can rewrite our story of harm to one where we are all living the vision of the Farm Without Harm strategy, ‘everyday farming people protect one another from preventable harm’.
In your H&S career to date, what has been your most satisfying achievement?
Being involved in the creation of the Farm Without Harm strategy, the first ever unifying piece of work that maps out what needs to be done as a sector and launching it. But without doubt the most precious thing has been creating a movement of change with those who are prepared to go on that journey.
In your H&S career to date, what has been the hardest/most challenging thing you've had to do?
Any movement is hard to bring to life. There are days when you don’t have enough resources, energy or know-how to take the next step. However the H&S network is vast and generous and there is always someone who is prepared to share what they know and how to solve a challenge. You are a cool bunch of people!
In your view, what is the most important single issue (relevant to your role) facing New Zealand?
In the agriculture sector it’s the reframing of health and safety to help people have confidence in their abilities to find practical solutions. If we could identify and manage our four greatest risks we can become the safest place in the world to grow food. Safer Farms’ role is to provide the leadership, inspiration, and tools to bring about this change.
Tell us something about yourself that might surprise readers.
A funny thing happened to me the other day. Someone asked me how long have I been a health & safety professional! I was obviously doing a good enough job of sounding credible. I replied that I’m no professional, I’m a farmer who wants to make our industry a safe place for people to work.
What is the riskiest thing you’ve done that you’re willing to confess to?
Taking on this challenge! I have always lived my life by this quote from Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I know people who care enough to do something together can create change.
