Kellogg Report: When old dogs don’t learn new tricks

BUSINESS KELLOGG REPORT

Words by: Elaine Fisher

Recording farm injuries and deaths are unfortunately a part of Nicky Barton’s working life.

“These figures aren’t just data – every single number represents a person who has died, leaving massive holes in the lives of their families and loved ones,” she says.

Nicky is talking about fatalities on New Zealand’s farms, and most recently the 23 people who died between January 2020 and August 2021.

She is marketing and communications media manager for Worksafe and Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme 2019 graduate.

Her work is the subject of the Kellogg Rural Leadership report she completed in November 2019 titled; “Old dogs, new tricks - An exploration of age and its influence on health and safety in New Zealand’s primary sector”.

The study turned up some unexpected results.

“I was surprised at the weighting of older farmers in the fatality statistics. I had not expected half of the fatalities to be those aged 60 and older.

“And that hasn’t changed since I did the research for the report. Of the 23 most recent fatalities, 11 or nearly half were 60 and over.”

It’s the human tragedy behind the statistics which upsets Nicky.

“When reading the reports of the deaths it’s clear that in some cases those closest to the deceased may have had a role to play in the fatality through something they have failed to do, or by doing something they should not have done.

“In other cases, especially on sheep and beef farms, a report may record that a wife or partner was waiting for someone to come in for a cuppa. When they failed to do so, she (and it is usually a woman) has gone outside to find that the dogs are back but not their owner.

“It’s then that she will go to find him, only to discover her loved one dead or dying.”

That’s why, for Nicky, workplace health and safety isn’t about the need to comply because it’s the law. It’s about the need to comply to keep people safe.

“It is all about people and protecting them from dying and from serious injury.” And “common sense and experience”, often quoted by farmers as what’s required, won’t do that.

“The problem is that common sense is not really all that common. What makes sense to one person, may not make sense to another and relies on consistency of experience, knowledge and practicality which may not exist in the same manner from person to person.”

The aim of the research was to explore the relationship between age and influence in health and safety on NZ farms and to understand at what age people are being fatally injured, how they are fatally injured

WorkSafe is among the sponsors of the Young Farmer of the Year competition. Pictured is 2018 Grand Finalist Will Taylor.

Nicky Barton, marketing and communications media manager for Worksafe and Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme 2019 graduate.

and if attitude towards health and safety is varied across age groups.

The report considered the 154 deaths on NZ farms between 2011 and 2018, and the views of five WorkSafe inspectors and 76 farmers aged between 19 and 73. Almost a quarter of these deaths were those aged in their 60s and when combined with the number of workers over 70, the group makes up almost half of all fatalities onfarm. Nicky found that when farmers are at their most experienced and perceived to be most adept at assessing risk they are also being fatally injured in the highest numbers.

“While experience reigns high at this age, so does a decrease in cognitive ability, physical limitations, overestimation of ability and a decrease in responsibility as farmers face mortality.

“Leadership, education and a sense of responsibility should be encouraged from a young age in order to create sustained generational change. And by looking at the gaps in knowledge and approach; and focusing on motivating factors in certain age groups we can improve health and safety behaviour and outcomes on New Zealand farms.”

WorkSafe has a vital role to play but battles at times with what one inspector observed as a real “leave us alone” mentality at the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 2015.

As socialisation of the Act and familiarity with the requirements has increased, WorkSafe saw some self-regulation in the sector. Usually that took the shape of younger to middle-aged farmers calling out older farmers and asking them to come into line, especially in public forums.

“Messages rolled out by WorkSafe and HSWA also appear to be having an impact with some farmers talking about the need to focus on the big risks onfarm, the increased need to look at health, creating a positive culture onfarm and the need to get everyone home safely at the end of the day.”

Having responsibility for others has a powerful influence on health and safety, says Nicky, quoting a 62-year-old Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer: “As an employer, the worst possible eventuality is to have to ring a person’s parents or partner to inform them that there has been a serious accident. I think about that a lot. What would I say? It’s a powerful incentive to being proactive in terms of accident and injury prevention and taking the responsibility seriously.”

The fact that farmers are dying in the highest numbers at the age they should be most adept at managing risks appears counterintuitive, as Nicky says her research suggested that experience was a key contributor to risk awareness and aversion.

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“Respondents felt that with age they learnt new skills, built confidence and competence in tasks and were also taught what not to do through past experiences, frights and uncomfortable moments onfarm.”

However, older farmers continue to figure far too highly in injury and fatality statistics. Taking into account previous literature and her own survey responses Nicky identified four possible contributing factors she believes warrant further discovery.

decision-making ability: Does a farmer’s ability to accurately assess risk slow as they age? When they find themselves in danger, is the brain’s ability to react too slow in the older farmer?

Physical limitations: Can the body not react quickly enough when presented with danger? Can an older farmer not move quickly enough to escape danger, or physically manoeuvre a vehicle from a precarious situation?

Overestimating ability: With increased years of experience, does a farmer overestimate their ability to assess risk, manoeuvre vehicles and complete tasks?

Pending mortality: Does proximity to death actually increase risk-taking behaviours? If one’s responsibilities have decreased (eg: grown up children), does this relax a farmer’s need to ensure they are safe? If we use the example of a quad bike or tractor, by the time a farmer is reaching 60 or 70+ his experience on the machine and potentially the land should be at its peak. Yet they still find themselves suffering the highest amount of fatal harm at this stage in their careers.

Nicky was instrumental in WorkSafe’s sponsorship of the Young Farmer of the Year competition.

“As an industry, we now need to engage with those in their early career years to create sustained generational change, utilise the theme of responsibility in working to engage all farmers in health and safety and alert industry to the four factors this research considers contributing to older farmer fatalities.”

WorkSafe inspectors report younger farmers are incorporating health and safety as part of their business.

“Between the ages of 25-40 farmers still had a long working life ahead of them so were more accepting of making changes onfarm. Those under the age of 40 were considered more risk-averse, and interestingly an inspector noted a much higher standard of ‘housekeeping’, tidier workplaces and less hoarding of old machinery in younger farmers and their businesses.”

Many farmers indicated the introduction of HSWA had been a key contributor to their improved behaviour. Others felt the culture in NZ at large had changed and was no longer accepting of injury and death as just part of the business.

Nicky says NZ farmers are in fact lucky to be regulated, even though some may not see it that way. “There is a strong need to change that attitude and for farmers to see WorkSafe as a partner in keeping themselves, their families, and their employees safe.”

• To read Nicky’s full report go to: ruralleaders.co.nz/nicky-barton-olddogs-new-tricks

Ensuring new staff know how to operate a quad / motorbike safely, Carlos Munoz instructs Kate Doherty on the finer points of safe handling of her bike.