Support Team Notice – We will have limited phone support from 27 Mar – 31 Mar. Please email all enquiries to info@safetyculture.com.au

Elderly man sustains serious injuries on Queensland farm

Nov 8th 2022 |

Elderly man sustains serious injuries on Queensland farm

```html

Elderly Man Sustains Serious Injuries on Queensland Farm

An elderly man aged in his 80s was airlifted to hospital with serious head injuries following a farming incident in South East Queensland. This news highlights ongoing safety concerns for older workers who continue farm duties well into their later years.

LifeFlight reported that the man was unloading hay bales from a trailer when he fell from the vehicle on Saturday morning. He was flown to the Princess Alexandra Hospital by the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter, receiving urgent care en route.

Farm Safety Remains a Pressing Concern

Incidents like this one underscore why farm safety must remain a top priority across Queensland's agricultural sector. Older farmers and workers often continue manual tasks despite reduced mobility, increasing risk during routine work such as loading or unloading equipment.

According to Safe Work Australia, falls from vehicles and machinery remain among the leading causes of serious injuries on farms nationwide. Employers and property owners have a duty to provide adequate support and training for all workers, regardless of age, to reduce these risks.

Health outcomes for elderly patients involved in traumatic falls can be significantly worse than for younger workers, making preventative care essential. Farms should implement robust safety procedures and provide clear guidance around hazardous manual tasks.

Why Safety Documentation Supports Farm Workers

Comprehensive safety documentation and support services help reduce the likelihood of incidents like this. Farm owners can access safe work method statements for agricultural tasks to establish clear procedures for hay handling, machinery operation, and other high-risk activities.

Regular review of workplace health and safety practices, paired with proper care protocols, ensures every worker—young or old—returns home safely at the end of each shift. Farms benefit from ongoing support services that include risk assessments, training resources, and incident reporting tools.

Recording incidents accurately also strengthens future safety planning. An injuries and illness register allows businesses to track patterns and identify where additional support might be needed for at-risk workers.

Related Safety News

These stories, alongside this latest news from South East Queensland, reflect a broader pattern within rural industries where manual work continues to pose serious risks. Businesses seeking to strengthen their safety framework can use an injuries report form to formalise incident documentation and support continuous improvement across their operations.

Source: LifeFlight.

```

Share This Article