One of the key duties is the requirement to exercise due diligence on health and safety which includes understanding the risk profile of the operations, the key controls and systems that are in place and monitoring information on whether these controls are effective.
This means you can't sit back and let the farm manager (or anyone else) take full responsibility for health and safety, regardless of whether you're actively involved in farm operations or not.
Farm managers can, of course, be responsible for the day-to-day management of workers and implementing effective health and safety systems, but the overall responsibility rests with those at the top.
Defining clear and detailed roles and responsibilities within the business is vital and enables managers and business owners to easily monitor and verify health and safety is being effectively managed and implemented.
Governors need to clearly set the vision, direction and processes around health and safety for the business. It is about "walking the talk" and demonstrating your commitment as a business leader rather than just ticking the box that you have forms and folders to manage health and safety on the farm.
The Pike River Coal Mine tragedy is a sobering reminder of the need for those at the top to be actively involved in effective health and safety management and there are now serious consequences for both businesses and individuals that fail to do so.
From a practical perspective, steps taken within each business to meet their duties will not always look alike. A farm owner actively managing his farm day-to-day will have a far more simplistic verification process than a director who lives in another country.
This information is general in nature and readers should seek specialist advice before making decisions.
