FARM SAFETY WEEK The right reaction to chemicals
AVOIDING dangerous chemical exposure on farms is as easy as reading the label says Ruralbiz Training chemicals instructor Reg Kidd.
“If you find anything ever gone wrong, it’s usually through lack of not reading the label. We have the best labelling in the world that has all the information on how to use a product efficiently and effectively, to be very, very environmentally conscious and doing the right thing, and for your own health and for public health,” he said.
“Labels tells you what the chemicals are in a product, then it goes through a whole heap of statements, such as what effect it may have on the environment if not used properly, how to store the chemical, how to transport the chemical, how to mix the chemical, how to use it, what personal protective clothing should be worn, what you should do in an emergency if there was a spill, right through to emergency numbers,” Mr Kidd said.
Every state is governed by the Pesticide Act which outlines training requirements, the safe use of chemicals and keeping people up to date technically.
It is compulsory for farmers to get accredited in the use of chemicals and re-accredited every five years.
“Farmers have been required to be accredited for more than 20 years, this has been in place for a long time,” Ruralbiz Training CEO Kathy Sims said.
Ruralbiz Training offers a statement of attainment in chemicals called Chemical Card Plus course.
“Our most popular course offered regarding the safe use of chemicals is Chemical Card Plus which meets the legal requirements for farmers to apply chemicals in their business,” Mrs Sims said.
“Included in the course are modules on the safe preparation and application of chemicals, transport and storage, disposal of drums and no-longer-wanted chemicals and cleaning up spills.
“NSW farmers are eligible for 100 per cent subsidy to do this course under the NSW Government Smart and Skilled programme and on completion of the course, they receive a 2Unit statement of attainment,” Mrs Sims said.
Ruralbiz Training offers the course in four ways, including faceto-face (not during COVID-19), online, via a webinar and old-style distance education.
“The old-style distance education is where you can have the pack sent out to you and you can do it by yourself. For the guys who are not really computer literate we can accommodate them as well. Pretty well anyone in NSW can access the course,” Mrs Sims said.
Off farm, Mr Kidd would like to see more done on domestic use of chemicals.
“In the area of farm chemicals there are more guidelines in what you should and should not be doing that unfortunately aren’t carried through for domestic use,” he said.
“People can store their domestic chemicals anywhere. Quite often they don’t read the labels or they dispose of them incorrectly.
“I believe that the safe and effective use of chemicals should be in the school curriculum, because every kid in a school will be exposed to a situation where they’ll use a chemical. Whether those chemicals are sugar, salt, pepper, or in the yard, dad or mum cleaning the car or carpet.
“I think it’s something that everybody should have some form of education in. A lot of people think that what they’re using is perfectly safe.”