15 Nov 2011

Farmers and ACC launch joint safety campaign

7:46 am on 15 November 2011

Farmers who have hurt themselves while working on the farm are sharing their experiences in a new campaign that aims to lower the high accident rate.

ACC and Federated Farmers have teamed up to raise awareness of the human causes of on-farm accidents, which happen about every half hour.

The campaign is the culmination of a series of confidential talks between farm advisors and farmers who have had accidents or near misses.

Federated Farmers health and safety spokesperson David Rose will be passing on those stories to the rural community to show other farmers how to avoid similar accidents.

He says some painful stories will be told over the next three months.

ACC figures show nearly 19,000 farmers were injured last year while at work, costing ACC nearly $65 million.