Author: Liam Palmer

National Safe Work Month at ALA was action packed! Filled with great information posts, videos, timely updates and fun activities but most importantly highlighting our total commitment to safety.

Our WHS Officer Caitlyn Craddock went above and beyond in developing and implementing new resources for our clients and candidates. From the publication of important safety docs into a range of languages for candidates to addressing mental health and where to find support, here’s a snapshot of just how much we’ve covered this National Work Safe Month.

Week 1: Keeping all Workers Safe

• Responsibilities – who’s responsible where, when and how
• Language barriers – making sure they don’t get in the way of safety
• Development of new and old resources in different languages including Mandarin, Malay, Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, Italian and with more coming!
• Risk assessments and hazard identification – what you need to know

 Week 2: Mental Health

• Mental health and psychological hazards – knowing where and how to go for help
• Resources for identifying level of risk for mental health in the workplace
• Tools to reduce impact of work on workers mental health

 Week 3: Clean Air = Clear Lungs

• Raise awareness on what roles and environments can cause lung problems in agriculture
• How we can control those hazards and keep ourselves safe and breathing easy

 Week 4: Inside and Out

• How work can affect your health and what personal choices impact on your ability to work
• Hazardous chemicals
• Manual handling
• Covid-19
• Confined spaces
• Ergonomics
• Weather – sun, bushfires, floods, lightning

Wrapping it all up was our fantastic staff BBQ where we had a great time eating, playing games and learning how else we can keep each other safe.

Continuing our safety updates for National Safe Work Month – we want to highlight the importance of YOUR role in keeping yourself and others safe.

The ‘she’ll be right mate,’ attitude that many Australians have towards safety continues to be a major issue in the workplace and one that causes countless accidents. To ignore a safety issue can and does result in fatalities. While worker fatalities have decreased 50% since its peak in 2007, we still have a long to go in keeping everyone safe. Here are some of the latest industry statics:

• Tasmania has the highest fatality rate per 100,000 workers
• The number one cause of workplace death is vehicle collisions (41%)
• The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry has the highest fatality rate per 100,000 workers (13.1) equalling 46 deaths

Staying Safe – Your Role & Responsibilities

Can you imagine living with knowing that you could have done something to prevent someone’s injury or death? It may sound dramatic, but everyone has the right to return home to their family at the end of their shift and that’s what the safety team at ALA are 100% focused on.

Each and every one of us are by law required to abide by certain safety rules which are outlined below:

Under WHS legislation a worker must:

1. Take reasonable care of your own health and safety
2. Take reasonable care that your acts or omissions to not adversely affect the health and safety of others
3. Comply, so far as reasonably practicable with any reasonable instruction given by your PCBU (employer) to allow the PCBU to comply with WHS Act and Regulations.
4. Co-operate with any reasonable policy or procedures relating to WHS

Risk Management:

At ALA we believe in educating our clients, candidates and staff on their safety role.

Prior to working with our clients, we complete a site inspection and risk assessment to determine if the work area is safe. While every effort is made, sometimes things change and new hazards appear – this is when you must report in.

If you see something unsafe at work, please inform your supervisor immediately and contact your recruiter or ALA as soon as possible so we can ensure the hazard is adequality managed.

When you get to work:

1. Assess your work area for any hazards – Is there anything that cause me harm?
2. Have I been trained on how to do the job safely? And do I feel confident I can do it safely?
3. Do I know where the emergency exits are? Are they clear?
4. Have I got all my personal protective equipment (PPE) on?
5. Am I mentally and physically able to do this job? (Fatigue, mental health, manual handling etc)

Injuries:

If you are injured at work, please call our injury hotline on 1300 448 518 to get immediate medical assistance.

For more information about WHS:

SafeWork NSW

WorkSafe Queensland

WorkSafe Victoria

WorkSafe ACT

SafeWork SA

NT WorkSafe

WorkSafe WA

WorkSafe Tasmania

SafeWork Australia

With October being National Work Safe Month, we thought it the perfect time to raise the profile of our seriously amazing WHS Officer Caitlyn Craddock.

Selected for her authenticity, technical safety knowledge and enthusiasm, Caitlyn joined the ALA team in 2020 and has been impressing us with her professionalism ever since.

Caitlyn’s safety journey began when she was undertaking a Certificate in construction and started studying a range of safety components within the course. Following these studies, she undertook her school placement with a tier one builder, where a passionate WHS manager ignited her desire to make the working world a safer place.

It wasn’t long before others noticed Caitlyn’s commitment and maturity and at just sixteen, she was working onsite and delivering Toolbox talks to construction staff.

Having grown up around animals and farms in Qld and NSW, Caitlyn has always been drawn to rural life, so the move to agriculture seemed like natural progression. Caitlyn said, ‘Agriculture has the highest fatality rate and is also lagging behind other industries in their safety processes. I love the challenge of driving positive change and playing a role in improving safety in the industry.’

We know we are lucky to have Caitlyn on our team and look forward to watching her continue to raise the standard of safety for the agriculture industry. Read more about Caitlyn and her thoughts on safety in our Q & A below:

What are your Qualifications

• Certificate IV WHS
• Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety
• Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator Training
• Certificate IV in Training and Assessment – (current)
• Bachelor Occupational Health and Safety – CQ University (current)

 Do you apply your safety principles to everyday life? If so, how? 

Hard question! I often use the ‘risk to reward’ methodology to make any important decision in my life. I identify the risk, assess the controls in place and make an informed decision. I also try to be organised and prepared at all times so that if anything does go wrong, I can fix it or minimise the consequences. I have to ‘walk my talk’!

What do you think the biggest problem with safety in the workplace is?

‘She’ll be right’, or ’It won’t happen to me’ attitude. Nobody expects to go to work and not come home, so ultimately choosing to ignore a safety problem could be the cause of death or a serious injury to someone else.

Your choices not only affect yourself, but also those around you.

You have achieved a lot since you began your career in safety which is impressive – as is your maturity. What do you put that down to?

I think I’ve always been mature for my age. I have consistently strived to be independent and set goals for where I want to be at various stages in my life. Goal setting is a big thing for me.

This field of work definitely made a difference to my maturity – it’s hard to earn respect in the workplace being a young female with minimal experience. I had to train myself to have the confidence to stand up when something wasn’t right and to get back up when I got knocked down.

Having great managers who believed in me over the years gave me the inspiration to keep pushing and believing that one day I will do the same for the next generation of safety professionals.

What do you enjoy about your role with ALA?

I enjoy being able to share my knowledge with clients and our internal team. I love being able to go out and visit sites to ensure the workplaces are safe for candidates. I also love having the variety of work and variations across industry that I work with. No two days are the same.

The team at ALA are really lovely and take health and safety seriously which gives me the room to make a real difference.

What are your future career aspirations?

I am passionate about accident prevention and investigation. In the future the idea of becoming an accident investigator for the regulators is quite appealing and I would like to work my way up the ladder to be a safety manager as well.

What are the things that make you happy? 

I am very outdoorsy and take every opportunity I can to get out on the road. I love horse riding, camping and adventuring.

Safety – it’s the most important thing in any workplace. Over the last few decades, workplace safety has evolved from just being about steel caps, and hard hats on construction sites to becoming a critical requirement across all industries.

Being safe is smart and absolutely vital to any business who wants to keep its people safe, while also ensuring their business remains protected and compliant.

With agriculture listed as Australia’s most dangerous industry, Agri Labour Australia takes safety extremely seriously. With a dedicated and passionate safety team, we never stop reviewing, refining, researching, educating and improving our processes to ensure we are doing all we can to keep our people, clients and communities safe.

Over the next few weeks, we will be posting on the many and varied aspects that comprise safety today. From risk assessments, mental health, and confined spaces to Covid-19 and everything in between, we want to keep raising safety awareness and building a culture that embraces safety – not only for National Work Safe Month but for each and every day.

More new faces to welcome to the ‘Agri Family’ with the recent arrivals of Nina Liu and Linda Li to the hard working finance unit in our Brisbane office last month.

These ladies, along with the rest of the clever finance crew are behind the efficient management of Agri Labour Australia’s critical finances; they also to help to make make sure everyone gets paid each week!

Read up on our two new account aficionados below:

Name: Xiaoxu Liu – also known as Nina

Role: Accounts Manager

Qualifications/trades: CPA Accountant

What did you do before joining ALA?

I worked for AGPAL in their finance team for 8 years.

What drew you to working with ALA?

I acquired my CPA status early this year and felt that it was the right time to progress my career. The opportunity at ALA came up, so it all came together at the right time!

What skills (unique or otherwise) do you bring to your role?

Understanding of accounting compliance which is really important for the type of work I do here.

What are you enjoying about working with ALA?

Lovely people and culture, and flexible work arrangements.

Would you like to tell us about your family?

I am a mum to two young boys, one cat and one husband, ha-ha! I also have a brother living in Brisbane.

Where did you grow up?  

Inner Mongolia in the northern part of China.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Sports – tennis, 4WD, music.

Favourite place in Australia and why?

Beaches! There are so many beautiful beaches in Australia. I grew up in a place far away from the ocean, so for me, to be able to spend some relaxing time on a beach is precious.

What are you looking forward to?

Same as every year, have an enjoyable life with my family and the people around me. I hope I am still bringing happiness to the people around me.

 

Name: Rongping Li – better known as Linda

Role: Payroll Officer

Qualifications/trades: Certificate IV Accounting/Bookkeeping

What did you do before joining ALA?

Payroll officer at PCYC QLD.

What drew you to working with ALA?

It’s got a great reputation!

What skills (unique or otherwise) do you bring to your role?

Mathematics!

What are you enjoying about working with ALA?

Friendly colleagues.

Would you like to tell us about your family?

I have a husband and ten year old son.

Where did you grow up?  

A small town in Hebei province, China.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Feeding my son various kinds of Chinese food, and teaching him Olympic maths.

Favourite place in Australia and why?

I love the beach. It is so beautiful and makes people smile.

What are you looking forward to in 2021?

Covid to be gone, and everything goes back to normal (we agree!)

Weather permitting, the record-breaking 2021 grain harvest will ramp up in September and we’re currently hiring hard-working individuals to get the job done and experience something different.

You’ll earn great money and learn so much about the agriculture industry, while living the rural dream in parts of Australia not often seen by the casual holidaymaker – or even many city-dwelling locals!

As if that wasn’t enough, there’s another big benefit to working the grain harvest – the warm and welcoming sense of community and the opportunity to make the kind of friends you’ll have for life.  In the grain harvest, you never know who’ll be working beside you. You could become great mates. You could travel the world together! Once borders open up again, that is. At Agri Labour Australia, we’ve seen it happen time and time again.

At the start of every grain harvest, people from around the country arrive on site – some skilled, some unskilled, most of whom don’t know each other. There are grey nomads and young backpackers; working holiday visa-holders and locals from down the road. Friendships form quickly through hard work and a commitment to getting the job done as a team. In-jokes develop, life stories are shared and unforgettable memories are made.

With everything that’s happened due to COVID-19 in the past 18 months – from the lockdowns to the border closures – we’ve never felt more isolated from one another. What we need now is togetherness, and that’s exactly what grain harvest offers. It’s a unique opportunity to connect with people as you work side by side to get the job done. Strong bonds between the most unlikely people are formed year after year at the grain harvest – strengthening both on the job and at the many friendly social events that happen over the course of a season.

“You meet interesting people from all over the world and form lasting friendships. Working alongside ‘salt of the earth’ people who make you appreciate the work they do every time you buy a loaf of bread is something that will stay with us forever.” – Raido Kuiv and Veronica Trisberg

Now’s the time to apply for a role in the 2021 Australian grain harvest. Head to our website to read more about what’s involved and to submit your application!

With the pandemic still having a huge impact on primary producers being able to obtain critical seasonal labour, ALA’s Tasmanian recruitment team have been embracing new pathways to source staff for farmers – all while giving young people pathways into agriculture careers.

ALA founders, Casey and Luke Brown have always been about giving people a chance. It was just what they needed to get their business started back in 2010, and it’s this belief that is now instilled into the workplace culture in their offices across Australia.

When recruiting locals proved extremely difficult, ALA Tasmania, Account Manager Rhys Hensen jumped at the chance to assist Austin Cornish when he made inquiries about work. At the time, Austin was living in Thyne House, an Anglicare youth accommodation facility in Launceston.

Now, having been with ALA for over six months, Austin has been a fantastic addition to the team and has also connected ALA with more young people who were waiting for their chance to prove themselves.

With the relationship still going from strength to strength, read more about this great partnership in the article, published in the Sunday Examiner, Sunday 29 August, 2021.

 

The Agri Family is always growing, so we were excited to welcome new recruitment consultants, Daijiro Yoshida and Amy Smith to the team!

These two have already been super busy assisting candidates find the best farm work available in Australia. With the 2021 Grain Harvest just around the corner and big summer crops needing thousands of workers, we think Dai and Amy have started at the perfect time to assist us with these big Australian agriculture events.

Read on about these two great people and get in touch with them today for your next (and most memorable) career move!

Name: Daijiro Yoshida (better known as Dai to friends and family)

Role: Recruitment Consultant

Office location: Kelvin Grove, Brisbane

Qualifications: Bachelor of Psychology and Business

What did you do before joining ALA?

I was an HR Administrator for a Disability Support organisation and before that I was a Duty Manager at MOS Burger (YUM!).

What drew you to working with ALA?

I wanted to gain more knowledge and experience in staff recruitment and selection. I was also excited to work with Operations Manager, Liam Palmer who is known for being very understanding and working cooperatively with everyone.

What skills do you bring to your role?

I take a lot of pride in having a great work ethic. I also love to get things done so I will do whatever it takes to get a certain project or work completed by the due date.

What are you enjoying about working with ALA?

I love the people and the culture. It’s a thriving place and I genuinely love coming to work every day.

Where did you grow up?   

I grew up on the Gold Coast and have lived there my whole life. #stillnotasurfer ☹ My Mum lives in Japan a lot of the time and I have five siblings! Three sisters and two brothers…one of them lives in Japan and another in America which is a bit of a challenge these days with travel restrictions.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I love playing sports with my friends, going to festivals, and playing games. I just like a little bit of everything. I also LOVE travelling. I usually go to Japan once or twice a year, but I have also been to Korea, Taiwan and few places in Europe like (Belgium, Netherlands and Italy). I am planning to do more travelling when we can again.

Favourite place in Australia and why?

I’d have to say Gold Coast, mainly because I have been there my whole life and all my friends are there but I do like Brunswick Heads in NSW – it’s very peaceful.

What are you looking forward to next?

Hopefully Covid -19 becoming more under control so I can travel again. Otherwise, getting better at my job here at Agri Labour Australia 😊

 

Name: Amy Smith – Amy is currently at QUT completing the second half of her double degree in psychology and business majoring in HR.

Role: Recruitment Officer

Office location: Brisbane             

What did you do before joining ALA?

Payroll and HR officer

What drew you to working with ALA?

I was wanting a more social job where I get to directly interact with employees and candidates.

What skills (unique or otherwise) do you bring to your role?

Being at uni means I’m always learning and applying that knowledge into the workplace.

What are you enjoying about working with ALA?

The team environment and the level at which people care for their candidates.

Would you like to tell us about your family? (optional)

I have two sisters and am the middle child 😊… but I have now moved out of home so my own little family consists of a six month old cavoodle and my partner.

Where did you grow up?   

Brisbane

What are your hobbies and interests?

Do cuddles with my puppy count?

 Favourite place in Australia and why?

Frazer Island. My family and I go there every year, we leave our phones for the whole week and focus on enjoying the beautiful sights and spending time together.

 What are you looking forward to the most?

MY NEW JOB!!!!

 

It’s always one of the biggest events on the agri calendar, and the 2021 grain harvest is shaping up to be a record-breaker!

Anyone who’s done a season will tell you there’s never a dull moment at grain harvest time. There’s a buzzing atmosphere, spectacular scenery and the chance to have a laugh with workmates from all walks of life – all while earning good money that’s easy to save when you’re away from the spending temptations of the city.

As usual, we’ve already had a lot of pre-interest in our grain harvest roles and there’s plenty of work to go around. Agri Labour Australia grain harvest jobs are in hot demand from backpackers, grey nomads, students and locals eager for the chance to learn what the backbone of our economy – the agriculture industry – looks like up close. Whatever your age, skill-set, gender or location preference, there’s bound to be a fantastic grain harvest role to suit you. We’ve got a variety of positions available in regional and rural areas across Australia.

Since we were founded over a decade ago, agricultural recruitment has been our specialty and our passion, and we’re extremely proud of the many great people and crews we’ve hired for past grain harvests. Many of these workers have had such a positive experience they return year after year and, having seen the memories that are made and the life-long friendships that are formed, we can’t say we blame them!

When and where does the action happen?

One thing you need to know about the grain harvest is that it’s highly weather dependent. Having said that, things usually kick off in September and finish up in December. The large-scale harvests can last for a couple of months at a time, while others are done and dusted in a few weeks.

What kinds of jobs are available?

The grain harvest in general is a mixed bag that offers something for everyone. From grain sampling to driving a front loader or carrying out general site duties, grain harvest roles are diverse and interesting. You’ll gain experience working with different types of crops too, including wheat, sorghum, canola, barley and chickpeas.

Your role may include:

• Grain testing (operating a special vacuum that grades the grain and checks for moisture, protein and pollutants)
• Weighbridge grain receivables and data entry
• Operating front-end loaders, grain hoppers, tractors and augers
• Monitoring grain flow
• Storage and protection of grain, including tarp folding, welding and bunker covering
• Sweeping, shovelling, dust blowing and other site cleaning
• Working in confined spaces

What experience do I need to qualify?

Commitment is important. Grain harvest workers must be dedicated to the season and have flexible expectations – we can’t stress enough how weather-dependent the grain harvest is. Climatic conditions regularly impact the ability to process grain.

A willingness to work hard is also vital. Grain harvest jobs are intensive and full throttle, and those who are energetic and in good health tend to sustain the pace.

If you suffer from asthma or allergies, the grain harvest may not be the best environment for you because grain sites are dusty places.

We’d love to hear from you if you:

• Are willing to undertake drug and alcohol tests
• Are physically fit and able to work long hours on flexible shifts
• Have your own transport
• Can demonstrate English language skills
• Thrive under pressure
• Possess a strong work ethic
• Are a great team player
• Have worked wheat and grain harvests before (highly regarded but not essential)
• Are qualified to drive a Heavy Rigid Truck or higher (front-end loader licences are highly regarded)
• Showing us a Confined Spaces Certificate is also a huge plus!

Why choose Agri Labour Australia?

Our goal is to ensure the grain harvest recruitment process is easy for everyone. We genuinely care about our candidates and their safety, and our team negotiates very hard to get you the best pay rates and penalties in the industry.

As for training, we ensure you arrive on site prepared, confident and ready to hit the ground running. If you have any questions or issues, our friendly consultants are always on hand to deliver advice and support.

Here’s what you can expect when you join Agri Labour Australia for the 2021 Grain Harvest:

• A competitive hourly rate starting at $27.80 ($1.80 up from last year), with applicable overtime and penalty rates. Higher hourly rates are offered to returning and highly skilled workers.
• Work with your friends! If you’re travelling together and get through the recruitment process, we will do our best to ensure you can work and travel together on the grain harvest.
• We’ll connect you with more work.
• We employ local, travelling and international applicants.
• Before you start, you can watch videos of your work environment, so you can get an insight into your day-to-day tasks.
• We support you. You can talk to your recruiter regarding any issues or questions you may have throughout your placement.

Your safety comes before everything else

At Agri Labour Australia, we’re committed to ensuring the safety of all our staff. COVID-19 training is now also included in our induction and pre-employment processes.

*You’ll be required to undertake drug and alcohol testing prior to being contracted by Agri Labour Australia, as well as randomly throughout the grain harvest.

Ready to start your grain harvest adventure?

Click here to apply now – we can’t wait to hear from you!