In what is touted as a first for agriculture, the Rural Safety & Health Alliance (RSHA) is leading a research project to understand, measure and manage fatigue on-farm.

The Farming and Fatigue: Growing Sensible Solutions project aims to guide industry after merging industry insights with cutting-edge research, to deliver comprehensive, user-friendly guidance tailored to the unique demands of farming.

The project team charged with delivering the project plans to explore the root causes and impacts of fatigue on farms, aiming to enhance safety, productivity and wellbeing across the agricultural sector.

Cotton Australia Board member Bernie Bierhoff encouraged cotton growers to take part in the project. “As people get fatigued their sense of what is safe and what is not is blurred. Despite our efforts to limit work to a maximum number of days before a break, senior staff like supervisors and managers often don't get the time off they need,” Mr Bierhoff explained.

The voice and views of farmers on the causes, consequences and controls for fatigue will be collected.

Find out more about the project. or to register your interest in participating by emailing [email protected]