Employee Consultation

Staff often deal with equipment and processes that employers don’t, so to ensure property owners are aware of all of the risks and hazards on their farms, they should regularly consult with their workers.

Directly consulting with staff means employers can get input on solutions from those that do the work and are most involved, and it also builds trust between employers and employees. Consultations can be informal or formal, but should be conducted regularly.

OBJECTIVE

Learn how to effectively consult with workers on your farm

BEST PRACTICE 

There are multiple steps farmers can take to ensure open communication between employers and employees.

• Employers should consult with staff when identifying hazards and assess risks
• Employers should consult with staff on deciding how to eliminate or minimize risks
• Employers should consult with staff when making decisions about workplace facilities
• Employers should consult with staff if they want to propose changes that may affect the health and safety of workers
• Employers should hold regular meetings, and can be informal or formal
• Employees can elect a health and safety representative, or request the formation of a health and safety committee, to consult and represent safety concerns to management
• Employers should keep records of employee consultation meetings

ACTIONS

• There are actions farmers can take to ensure open communication between themselves and their workers
• Think about the last time you had a meeting with your staff, and if it was a while ago, arrange one in the near future
• Discuss potential hazards and risks on the farm with your staff, as well as ways to eliminate or minimize them
• If you are changing any of the workplace facilities, ensure you consult with your staff to let them know
• If you have a big enough workplace, elect a health and safety representative or form an OHS committee to represent the entire group
• If you don’t already keep records of staff consultations, start doing so