Drivers of Adoption of Safety Innovations on Australian Cotton Farms

Abstract

The Australian cotton industry has been a leader in the adoption of farm health and safety approaches in the Australian agricultural sector. In order to analyze factors associated with occupational health and safety performance, a review of available information and key stakeholder interviews were conducted A recently defined model for adoption of farm safety, emphasizing individual behavioral, environmental, community, and governmental factors, was used as the framework for the assessment. This hazard-based examination of changes describes improvements that have positively impacted health and safety. Improvements include: reduction in vehicle and on-farm traffic systems, safer irrigation systems, changes in cultivation technology, changes in pesticides and application technology, changes in harvest technology, adoption of gene technology, adoption of occupational health and safety (OHS) management systems, and government regulation. The introduction of genetically modified cotton has directly reduced potential exposure to pesticides, and it has indirectly impacted safety by, for example, reducing traffic flow on farms. This study demonstrates the considerable innovation and positive safety enhancements across the Australian cotton industry with respect to the interaction of management and production systems. These lessons should be used develop effective interventions in other agricultural industries.