New Zealand's highest-harm sector — making safety part of the way you farm
Agriculture causes around a quarter of New Zealand's serious work harm despite being a small share of the workforce. Vehicles — quad bikes, tractors and side-by-sides — are the biggest killer, alongside animals, machinery and agrichemicals. The HSWA applies to farms like any workplace: identify the real risks and control them, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Agriculture employs a small share of New Zealanders but accounts for around a quarter of serious work harm.
Most serious harm happens in dairy, sheep and beef farming. Farms combine heavy vehicles and machinery, large animals, isolation, long hours and chemicals — often with people working alone across big distances. WorkSafe treats agriculture as a top priority and is clear that health and safety has to be part of the way people farm, not a separate paperwork exercise.
A few hazards cause most of the deaths and serious injuries.
| Hazard | What to manage |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | Quad bikes, side-by-sides and tractors — rider training, the right vehicle for the task, crush protection, helmets and speed. |
| Machinery | PTOs, augers and moving parts — guarding, isolation and safe maintenance. |
| Animals | Handling cattle and other stock safely, with good yards and escape routes. |
| Agrichemicals | Sprays, fuels and other hazardous substances — inventory, SDS, storage and safe use. |
| Working alone | Isolation and poor communications — check-ins and a way to call for help. |
| Children | Farms are homes too — keep children away from vehicles, machinery and water. |
Good farm safety is practical: the right vehicle for the job, well-maintained gear, and clear rules everyone follows.
Focus your effort where the harm is — vehicles, machinery, animals and chemicals — rather than spreading it thin. Match the vehicle to the task and terrain, keep machinery guarded and maintained, store chemicals properly with their safety data sheets, and put simple check-in arrangements in place for anyone working alone. Induct and supervise new and seasonal workers, who are at higher risk because the work and the place are unfamiliar.
These cover the biggest farm risks in detail.
Practical registers, checks and records in one place. Book a demo and we'll show you how it works — free 30-day trial included.
Agriculture accounts for around a quarter of acute work-related fatalities and serious injuries while making up only about 6% of employment. Farms combine vehicles, machinery, animals, chemicals, isolation and long hours, and most serious harm occurs in dairy, sheep and beef farming.
Vehicles — quad bikes, side-by-sides and tractors — are the leading cause of farm deaths. Managing them means matching the vehicle to the task and terrain, rider training, crush protection, helmets and controlling speed.
Yes. If a farm is a business or undertaking with workers, the HSWA applies like any workplace. You must manage risks to workers and to other people, including visitors and family members, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Treat the farm as both a workplace and a home: keep children away from vehicles, machinery, stock and water, set clear safe areas, and never carry children on quad bikes or other vehicles not designed for passengers. Supervision is key.
Put simple check-in arrangements and reliable communications in place so a lone worker can call for help and someone notices if they don't return. See our lone and remote worker guide for practical steps.
