Emergency Preparedness for Rural Properties Rural properties must be ready for emergencies. Having well-prepared emergency plans and equipment helps minimize potential damage to people and property.
Ensure the following:
- Emergency Plans: Develop and regularly update emergency plans and procedures. Communicate these to all workers.
- Incident Handling: Include plans for dealing with incidents and injuries of all severities, such as:
- Poisoning
- Fire
- Explosion
- Hazardous substance spills
- Machinery entanglement
- Emergency Contacts: Include telephone numbers for ambulance, fire, police, and emergency services in your plans and worker inductions.
- Communication Systems: Implement systems to keep all workers in contact and ensure emergencies can be reported immediately.
- Signage: Signpost the property address according to emergency service requirements.
- Airstrip Information: Keep the coordinates and size of the nearest airstrip readily available for the flying doctor and emergency aircraft.
First Aid and Workplace Amenities Employers in the agricultural, fisheries, and forestry industries must provide:
- Safe Access: Ensure safe and clear access to and from the workplace.
- Amenities: Provide clean, safe, and accessible amenities and toilets in good condition.
- First Aid: Supply appropriate and adequate first aid equipment and ensure a trained first aid person is available.
- Drinking Water: Provide easy access to clean drinking water with separate containers for all workers.
- Sheltered Areas: Offer a sheltered area for meals and breaks away from work activities that pose health and safety risks, such as a:
- Caravan
- Tent attached to a vehicle
- Tractor or harvester cabin
Special steps must be taken to ensure that drinking water from rainwater tanks is not contaminated by vermin or bird droppings on roofs.