managing the behaviour & safety of people in the paddock to reduce a farmer's mental load
"farming without fatalities"
In 2020 the Industrial Manslaughter Law was introduced to the Agricultural Industry making workplace manslaughter a criminal offence under occupational health and safety laws. A Safe Work Australia report conducted in September 2023 revealed the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry continues to see the highest rate of deaths at work.
As a strategic partner to various farms and dealing with workplace investigations, it has become apparent that there is a significant gap between what Safe Work Australia expects of farm owners and what procedures are in place in the paddocks. Farmers know that critical change in safety measures is needed but don’t know where to start. That's why People in Paddocks was created.
People in Paddocks is a leading human resources and workplace health & safety consulting firm that specialises in managing people and safety in the Australian broadacre & livestock agricultural sector.
Founder Sam Pritchard was the National HR & WHS Manager for Corinella Farms - a 22,500 ha portfolio owned by Proterra Investments. She was also PA to CEO Sue Watson, and presented the quarterly Risk Report to Proterra. The farms were split up in 2022 and sold to 27 different Australian purchasers, some of which requested assistance with their people & safety - and 'People in Paddocks' was created. Sam is a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).