They’re the jobs we push through at the end of the day. The early mornings after a late night. The can’t-wait tasks in the middle of sowing, harvest, shearing or packing. Fatigue is one of the most under-recognised safety risks in Australian agriculture and it’s costing lives.
As National Farm Safety Week kicks off, Farmsafe Australia is turning the spotlight on fatigue, as part of its “Second Chances – Who Knows How Many You’ll Get?” campaign.
The message is simple: the ‘just keep going’ culture isn’t working.
“Fatigue has long been normalised in agriculture,” Farmsafe Chair Felicity Richards said.
“We don’t think twice about the 18-hour day. We shrug off brain fog, forgetfulness, dropping things or zoning out as just part of the job. But when you’re tired, your decision-making suffers. You cut corners. You miss steps. You make mistakes. And in this environment, mistakes can be fatal.”
This year’s Safer Farms Report paints a clear picture. After recording the lowest on-farm fatality figure in 2023 (32 deaths), the sector was rocked in 2024 by 72 fatalities, the highest figure in more than two decades. Severe injuries, meanwhile, have remained consistently high for more than a decade.
Ms Richards said fatigue is a critical factor hiding behind many of these events.
“It doesn’t always show up in the incident report but ask any farmer, and they’ll tell you about the time they nearly rolled a machine, misjudged a gate, forgot a safety step or lost their footing after days of little sleep. Fatigue is the invisible risk that sneaks up on us because we’ve trained ourselves to ignore it.”
The campaign encourages farmers to reframe fatigue as a safety threat, not a personal weakness.
Too often, the industry views pushing through exhaustion as a badge of honour. “But the truth is, real strength is knowing when to pause,” Ms Richards said. “Backing yourself to rest, or call in help, or wait for daylight, that’s a safety decision. Not a vulnerability.”
As part of the campaign, Farmsafe is encouraging teams and families to speak more openly about fatigue and warning signs.
Some of the campaign’s key fatigue reminders include:
Make time for the plan, not just the job – a short pre-job check can prevent long-term consequences.
Don’t let deadlines drown out danger – one honest conversation beats one emergency phone call.
Build in time for safety – schedule backup and build buffer days into pressure periods.
Call the huddle – a quick check-in can reveal risks someone else might not see.
The campaign also calls for leaders across the agricultural industry to set the tone.
“If you manage staff or contractors, your choices matter,” Ms Richards said. “You set the example, not just in how you work, but in how you rest. The way you talk about risk and decision-making shapes what others feel is okay.”
Farm safety is a message that AuctionsPlus takes seriously – and it’s one that CEO Wyn Snyman says is at the heart of how the business operates.
“The safety of our team and our users is critical to how we operate,” Mr Snyman said.
“With long-distance travel and handling live animals part of the job, we’ve made it a priority to ensure clear safety protocols are in place and followed.”
AuctionsPlus has policies that guide staff on how to travel safely and work with livestock – from avoiding fatigue on the road to ensuring vehicles are roadworthy and safe.
“We also provide driver training and educate our team on how to handle animals safely,” he said.
“There’s been real progress across the industry, but there’s always more to be done.”
“At AuctionsPlus, safety comes first – there’s never a reason to take unnecessary risks.”
Farmsafe encourages rural organisations, businesses and industry bodies to use this week as a platform to start the conversation.
“Don’t wait until you’ve had a scare to talk about fatigue,” Ms Richards said.
“Schedule a break, check in with your crew, and create space for people to speak up. Because when someone’s tired, really tired, we don’t need to push them harder. We need to listen.”