There were 12 workplace fatalities in the agriculture sector in 2024, according to the most recent statistics from SafeWork NSW, which prompted a renewed compliance push in 2025 that has already seen dozens of inspections and improvement notices issued across regional NSW.

Since the start of July, SafeWork NSW says it has recorded an alarming number of serious incidents in the agricultural space – many of which were preventable.

Agriculture remains one of the most hazardous industries in Australia, with a significantly higher rate of fatalities and serious injuries than most other sectors.

Farm work routinely involves heavy machinery such as tractors, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles, creating elevated risks that have contributed to an alarming rise in on-farm deaths and serious incidents over the past year.

Since becoming a standalone regulator on Tuesday, July 1, SafeWork NSW has conducted 25 proactive compliance inspections at agricultural workplaces across regional NSW. The inspections align with SafeWork NSW’s 2025-2026 annual regulatory priorities, focusing on mobile plant, fixed machinery and vehicles.

During the visits, inspectors examined 76 items of plant, including tractors, quad bikes, side-by-side vehicles, forklifts and augers. As a result, 30 improvement notices were issued to 11 of the 25 businesses inspected.

Key non-compliance issues included inadequate or missing machine guarding, ineffective risk management plans, insufficient plant maintenance and inspections, and poor or absent systems for managing psychosocial hazards.

SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer said farm vehicles were essential but remained a major source of harm when not used safely.

“When used improperly, these vehicles carry significant risks and remain a leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries on farms,” she said.

The inspection blitz follows a roundtable earlier this year involving the NSW Ministers for Work Health and Safety and Agriculture, and the Member for Orange Phil Donato, which examined barriers to safer practices and strategies to prevent serious injuries and deaths on farms.