TACKLING drugs and alcohol is at the top of the agenda for Australia’s wool industry leaders.
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The development of practical materials to improve worker health and safety in shearing sheds, including how to tackle alcohol abuse and drugs such as ‘ice’, will now be developed following the formation of a wool industry Stakeholder Reference Group.
The group, comprising the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), the Shearing Contractors Association of Australia (SCAA) and WoolProducers Australia (WPA) has been formed to support farmers, contractors and employees when responding to reports of workplace health and safety risks involving alcohol and drugs.
NFF president Brent Finlay said the Group had agreed to ongoing dialogue on what is a complex issue, with the aim of developing workable solutions for everyone in the shearing industry.
“The use of drugs in the industry is a concern. A collaborative approach from the industry stakeholders is about protecting the farmer, the shearing contractor and the employee from those who turn up to work under the influence of either drugs or alcohol,” Mr Finlay said.
“Shearing often involves working in remote rural areas, under a poorly defined chain of responsibility with unique hazards and risks. This means that clear and transparent processes are absolutely critical.”
The Group noted that the shearing industry operates in a unique environment which can make dealing effectively with workplace drug and alcohol use difficult.
