Agricultural and veterinary chemical store owners are urged to conduct safety checks on their premises in preparation for fire and cyclone season.
They can also do their farmer clients a favour by encouraging them to do the same back on their properties.
Agsafe has developed a simple five-point Summer Safety Checklist to help both rural businesses and their farmer clients to plan ahead for the fire and cyclone season.
Agsafe knows a bit about safe and reasonable use of agvet chemicals, they own and manage four agvet product stewardship programs – Accreditation, Training, drumMUSTER and ChemClear – for the safe storage and distribution of chemicals and disposal of chemical waste and containers.
Agsafe general manager, Alison Carmichael, said late spring and early summer is a great time for chemical handlers and users in every agricultural sector, to ensure chemical inventories were current, labels intact and storage sheds clear of combustibles.
“It’s easy for drums and chemicals to mount up on farms during busy post-harvest periods and our waste management programs are ideal for keeping them under control,” Ms Carmichael said.
“Plus it’s vital that curious children and young people cannot get into chemical storage areas, and chemical containers are never transported inside a vehicle cabin or car boot.”
The Summer Safety Checklist has tips to improve safety relevant to both farmers and rural store owners:
- Secure chemical container lids and ensure storage sheds are always kept locked so young people cannot get into them, especially during school breaks when visitors are often on rural properties.
- Stow chemicals on a ute tray or trailer in transit to prevent spills and fumes inside a hot vehicle.
- Deliver accumulated empty agvet containers to the nearest drumMUSTER collection depot.
- Always store chemicals high and dry and register unwanted products for disposal with ChemClear.
- First responders will always look for a site map and chemical list when attending an incident, so ensure the emergency manifest is up-to-date for larger storages.
Simply download Agsafe’s Summer Safety Checklist and display it prominently as a reminder to keep your people, premises and property safe this summer.
Check drumMUSTER’s interactive map to find out the nearest collection site at drummuster.org.au, and to register unwanted chemicals, visit chemclear.org.au.
Media contact
Alison Carmichael, Agsafe General Manager – 0414 287 079