Partnering to Manage Risk: It’s Nuts

The Sunraysia region of Victoria and New South Wales is famous for sunshine and its extensive horticulture industry. The region supplies Australia with much of the raw products we love, including almonds. The expansive almond orchards are certainly a sight to see!

In preparation for almond harvest season (February – April), Gallagher Workplace Risk partnered with a well-known almond producer to support a safe and incident-free harvest. Gallagher Workplace Risk had six target areas which were the focus of our secondment support period.

These target areas can and should be the focus areas for any organisation operating in the horticulture sector:

1. Make health and safety a priority, with leaders setting the example;

2. Encourage everyone and anyone to identify hazards, often it’s those doing the hands-on work that have the best understanding of where incidents may happen;

3. Consider how fatigue during the high pressure harvest season may increase the likelihood of incidents;

4. Establish clear and consistent communication from the top down and the bottom up, both are equally important;

5. Constantly review how work can be done better, safer and more effectively; and

6. Seek to gather information and advice from reliable, knowledgeable and relevant sources.

Gallagher is more than insurance. Gallagher Workplace Risk offers support to businesses in all areas of safety, risk management, workers compensation and injury management. Find out more at: https://www.ajg.com/au/consulting/workplace-risk/

– By Grace Bannister, GallagherWorkplace Risk