Farm Safety Audits: Why They Matter and How to Do Them Right
Farms are rewarding workplaces, but they’re also some of the most hazardous. In Australia, farm work consistently features among the top industries for serious injuries and fatalities, with risks ranging from mobile machinery to livestock, chemicals, and heights. Regular farm safety audits help you proactively identify hazards, document risks, and take action, keeping your family, workers, visitors and farm business safe and compliant.
What Is a Farm Safety Audit?
A farm safety audit is a systematic review of your farm to:
Identify hazards — what could cause harm
Assess risks — likelihood and severity of harm
Review current controls — what already protects people
Determine improvements — how to eliminate or reduce risk
Document actions — track what has been done and what still needs doing
It goes beyond ticking boxes — it’s about building a safety culture that treats hazards proactively rather than reactively.
Why Regular Farm Safety Audits Are Essential
Farms are dynamic environments. Machinery, staff, tasks, weather and livestock movement change all the time. That means safety risks change too — and so should your approach to managing them.
Key reasons to conduct regular audits include:
New equipment or machinery on the farm
Changes in how work is done
After incidents or near-misses
Before seasonal peaks in activity
To meet Work Health and Safety (WHS) legal duties
A formal audit helps uncover hidden risks and gives you a documented safety history — often required by insurers, regulators or contractors.
Core Elements of a Farm Safety Audit
While every farm is unique, a good farm safety audit covers these key areas:
1. Machinery & Mobile Plant Safety
Tractors, quad bikes and other mobile equipment are major risk sources on farms. Ensure:
ROPS and guards are fitted and in good condition
Operators are trained and competent
Pre-start checks are documented
Keys aren’t left in unattended machines
2. Hazard Identification Checklists
Tools like those referenced by WFI and state regulators help identify risks in:
Machinery and tools
Workshop and storage areas
Chemical handling and storage
Vehicles and transport routes
Environmental hazards (noise, dust, heat/sun exposure)
Using a checklist ensures no major risk area is overlooked.
3. Documentation and Record Keeping
Recording your audit findings — ideally in a structured format — means you can:
Show you took reasonable steps to manage hazards
Track corrective actions over time
Measure improvements yearly
Checklists from SafeWork NSW and other tools encourage recording current practices and where improvements are needed.
4. Risk Prioritisation and Action Plans
Not all hazards are equal. Once identified:
Prioritise based on likelihood and severity
Target the highest risks first
Assign responsibilities and deadlines
Follow up and close out actions
A risk rating system ensures you focus time and money where they matter most.
5. Worker Consultation
Involving workers and family members in audits helps you:
Identify hazards you might miss
Improve buy-in for safety practices
Share practical insights from those doing the work
Consultation isn’t just good practice — it’s a legal requirement under WHS law.
Turning Audits Into Action
Audits are only useful if they lead to actual hazard controls. Effective actions commonly include:
Formalising maintenance schedules
Updating machine guarding and PPE requirements
Providing targeted training (e.g., quad bike or tractor operation)
Installing signage and safe pathways
Implementing emergency plans and communication systems
Document what you do and review changes at regular intervals.
What Happens After Your First Audit?
Farm safety auditing should be ongoing. Once you’ve completed an initial audit:
Set a recurring schedule (e.g., quarterly or annually)
Use previous results to measure improvements
Capture new hazards as they arise
Review audit findings with workers and family
Repeated auditing embeds safety into farm culture — shifting from reactive fixes to proactive prevention.
Under Australian WHS laws, you have a duty of care to workers, visitors and anyone on your farm workplace. Regular safety audits demonstrate that you are actively identifying and managing risk — not leaving safety to chance.
To discuss an independant farm safety audit on your farming operation, contact us.