Narrabri women invited to connect over farm safety and art

The event will take place on Monday 26 August 2024, from 11am to 2pm at The Tourist Hotel, 142 Maitland Street, Narrabri. Women working in agricultural businesses will have the opportunity to meet others in the industry and exchange experiences of staying safe on farms.

Participants will create art while SafeWork representatives discuss safety issues affecting farms and agricultural businesses. Farming accounts for one in five worker deaths in NSW, with agricultural workers continuing to experience serious injuries and deaths at higher rates than workers in other industries.

Mental health will also be part of the event. Farmers experience suicide and depression more commonly than the general population, with financial pressures and isolation among the distinctive pressures of agricultural work.

Representatives from the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) will provide mental health education and help connect attendees with services where needed. The NSW Rural Women's Network will also share resources, initiatives and service links.

The NSW Government’s Rural Women’s Resource hub provides support across areas including living costs, employment, training and careers, health and wellbeing, and recreational and social connections.

Head of SafeWork NSW Trent Curtin said the event aimed to empower agricultural managers and workers to lead the creation of safer workplaces. He described it as an opportunity for women in the Narrabri area to connect, exchange ideas and develop their work health and safety knowledge in a relaxed setting.

Anyone interested in attending can register through the SafeWork NSW website.

How Blue Safe can help: Our free WHS self-check can help you review your business’s approach to workplace health and safety, including psychosocial hazards, and identify areas for closer attention. Take the free WHS self-check