Legislative Council Wednesday 23 June, 2021

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to workplace health and safely for workers at the Van Dairy VDL Farms owned by Moonlake:

1. Has the Department received any notifications of concerns regarding worker health and safety on the Van Dairy VDL Farms owned by Moonlake in Circular Head in the last 24 months;

2. Have any workplace health and safely assessments been undertaken on the Van Dairy VDL Farms owned by Moonlake in Circular Head in the last 24 months;

WorkSafe Tasmania Inspectors have conducted inspections at the workplace on seven (7) occasions since 31 May 2019 and multiple inspections in response to each of the notifiable incidents.

3. What matters were considered in assessing worker health and safety;

WorkSafe Tasmania Inspectors have considered the following issues when inspecting areas of concern at the workplace:
i. general housekeeping;
ii. maintenance and repair of farming plant (tractors) and other farming machinery;
iii. machine guarding;
iv. quad bike safety including maintenance and repair;
v. hazardous chemicals storage and handling;
vi. electrical hazards;
vii. workshop safety issues;
viii. livestock handling;
ix. water tank structural integrity.

4. Was the safe functioning of all equipment, including farm vehicles included in any assessments;

Safe functioning of equipment, including farm vehicles was included in assessments as indicated above.

5. What were the findings of these assessments;

Improvement notices were issued in relation to the maintenance and repair of tractor components, and quad bike maintenance and operation. Investigations are ongoing in relation to some matters.

6. If no assessments have been undertaken will an assessment be undertaken?

As indicated above, assessments have been undertaken.