Business Rural North Spring 2021

46 | Online videos improve shed welfare Tahi Ngatahi (‘One Together’) is an online training platform that uses short video clips to share insights on how to get everyone through the wool harvest safely. Virginia Wright T he name Tahi Ngatahi means “together one” or “one together” which is why it was chosen as the name for the initiative uniting the wool industry to work together on Health and Safety mat- ters around sheep shearing. They’re using a suite of online videos to improve facilities, get informa- tion to workers, get information to farmers, and do anything else that can be done to improve general welfare in the shearing shed. Federated Farmers were an important part of it at the start, which makes sense given that they provide the workplace for the shearers. “Hence the name Tahi Ngatahi,” says Mark Barrowcliffe, a shearer for many years who is the current presi- dent of the NZ Shearing Contractors Association, “because it involves the farmer and us working together as one to achieve a safe enjoyable work environment for everybody. “We got funding from ACC to facilitate it and the feedback we’ve had after three years show indus- try injury stats declining so it’s obviously working the way it’s meant to which is as a prevention tool rather than a cure.” That tool consists of a number of short online videos, with durations of anything from 30 sec- onds to two or three minutes, designed to raise awareness when you’re working in a woolshed whether you’re a shearer, rousie, farmworker or farmer. “There’s tons of videos, from what a farmer needs to do to empty his sheep out prior to shearing, to a warrant-of-fitness for them to run through, and after shearing information for them as well,” says Mark. “They’re not training videos, but for the shear- ers they identify a number of hazards like wrist injuries or uncontrolled animals hitting parts of your body that can be exposed right through to the animal welfare side of things in moving these animals around the shed safely and efficiently,” says Mark. “For example if you don’t know what you’re doing and there’s an open gate behind you the animal doesn’t mean to run through your knees but it does because it’s trying to get away, if you’re aware of that danger you can avoid it, and if you know how to catch the animal properly and control it all the better for you and the animal.” Each video has a few questions after it to check whether you’ve picked up the key learnings and RURAL PEOPLE » Tahi Ngatahi: Mark Barrowcliffe • to page 48 Proudly using and supporting Tahi Ngatahi For prompt and reliable service phone Brendan: 021 423 886 or email: b.j.mahony@xtra.co.nz SERVICES Keeping you and your team healthy and productive. We add value to New Zealand businesses by helping them reach their Health and Safety goals. Farmer to farmer. BRONWYN CAMPBELL 027 243 6979 www.adaptivehs.nz bronwyn@adaptivehs.nz Project Coordinator ReviewH&S Plan Solutions Supply NewH&S System H&S Coordinator H&S Coaching Meeting Facilitator We support all that is best in shearing Members of NZSCA. Proudly Supporting Tahi Ngatahi