Image National Safety Council of Australia
The Australian grape and wine sector has faced continuing unprecedented challenges throughout 2021–22. The sharp reduction in exports to mainland China following the imposition of significant deposit tariffs, the ongoing impact of COVID-19, environmental stressors such as floods and hailstorms, conflict in Eastern Europe, rising inflation and capacity issues following a record vintage have created the perfect storm of challenges for wine industry sector.
In response to these myriad challenges, Mental Health & Wellbeing is a primary focus of the newly released AR Interactive – Wine Producers Guide to Safety 2023.
The AR Interactive was produced in conjunction with industry partnering Association Australian Grape & Wine (AGW) and endorsed by the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) to provide tools and resources to enable those persons conducting a business to take a prevention-led approach to managing mental health and wellbeing.
It aims to build capacity for a productive mentally healthy workplace that supports workers and helps break the stigma and discrimination that often surrounds this topic.
This focus is particularly in light of the model work health and safety (WHS) laws which now include regulations on psychosocial hazards and a new model Code of Practice Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work.
The guide is an overview of the Australian workforce mental health landscape, which varies across jurisdictions, however has commonalities in its aims and principles, as mental injury claims continue to increase.
Designed to be displayed in the workplace for toolbox meetings and/or regular WHS meetings and conversation, the Wine Producers Guide to Safety 2023 is developed with interactive augmented reality (AR) capabilities for use with a smart device, by downloading the free Pro-Vis AR Safety App.
This digitally interactive guide is a targeted response to a changed landscape as workers often respond well to information relayed via visual means such as videos and 3D animations rather than technical written documents, and so is an effective communication tool.
Together Pro-Visual Publishing in consultation with AGW have identified high-risk hazards and risks following in-depth sector feedback which includes:
- Contractor Management Safety: The agricultural sector is one of the most hazardous with statistics showing the highest work-related injury fatalities of any industry – 10.4% fatalities per 100,000 workers*. A PCBU has the same WHS duties and obligations for on-site contractors, seasonal workers especially in light of the Agriculture Visa legislation and visitors, as with their own workers.
- Working in Heat: Risk Assessment; Control Measures and Heat Related Illness Symptoms.
- Confined Spaces: Risk Assessment & Control Measures; Entering & Exiting; Communication & Safety Monitoring; Respiratory Protective Equipment; Emergency Procedures.
- APVMA updated Spray Drift Policy and Minimising the hazardous effects of Spray Drift
- Machinery Safety: Preventing Machinery Entanglement and Guarding.
“Mental Health and Wellbeing is just as important as the physical health and safety viewed through the framework of risk management, protecting all workers from psychological workplace hazards,” Pro-Visual Publishing CEO John Hutchings stated.
“Preventing psychological harm is an essential part of creating a healthy and safe workplace. On average, work-related psychological injuries have longer recovery times, higher costs, and require more time away from work when compared with physical injuries.
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