What was it all about?

Running from 2020 to 2021, this one-year investment reviewed existing and developed new training resources to improve workplace health and safety in the harvest of citrus in Australia. Following recommendations from growers and industry surveys and an industry advisory panel, existing resources were updated, and new tools developed that align with a range of job roles from pickers, supervisors and farm managers.

Resources developed include:

• The Citrus Harvest Handbook
• Citrus Harvest Induction manual
• Five WHS posters
• An online WHS course for pickers
• Six videos and a 360-degree video on areas relating to carrying and climbing ladders, picking fruit, emptying bags and being aware around machinery.

The safety resources have also been translated to four priority languages including Tongan, Samoan, Bislama (Vanuatu) and Malay after an industry survey and consultation with government agencies active in the Pacific Labour Scheme and the Seasonal Worker Program.

These resources can be accessed via the NSW DPI website and Tocal YouTube Channel. Open access to the online module is available via the Tocal College Canvas Catalogue.

Resources from the project were also distributed and/or promoted through existing communication channels maintained through the levy-funded Citrus industry communications program (CT18000).