GOUGHS BAY pastoralists, Paul and James Diamond were inspired to develop AirAgri to reduce the risks their 91-year-old grandfather faced while working alone in remote areas on their family farm.
Proponents of using technology to make farming safer and more efficient the brothers developed AirAgri, a software tool that offers a digital farm map, emergency alerts and a tracking device.
A key focus of designing the app was to ensure that it was user-friendly so that the technology didn't add friction to the day-to-day operations of a farming enterprise.
“We’ve created a system that knows where a person is supposed to be,” said third-generation farmer Paul Diamond.
“And if they’re not there, why are they somewhere else?
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“The device then sends a reminder or an alarm, reducing respond times from hours to minutes in some circumstances, and potentially saving lives.
“In lone worker scenarios, the device gives you and your family peace of mind, allowing producers to confidently complete tasks.”
Paul has experienced the practical benefits of the technology first-hand on his own farm when a contractor rolled a tractor while working alone.
While the contractor could have been left alone for hours, he was able to quickly activate AirAgri’s emergency button notifying Paul of his location and allowing him to come to the contractor’s aid.
In the 2024 calendar year to date there have been five confirmed workplace fatalities in the agriculture sector, taking the number of work-related deaths in agriculture to 39 since January 2020.
And last year alone, 555 workers in the agriculture sector and related support services were injured seriously enough to receive workers compensation.
Worksafe in collaboration with primary producers - like the Diamond brothers - continues to address these worrying statistics with ongoing farm safety campaign, It's never you, until it is.
The campaign reflects the reality that experienced farmers do have incidents and that it takes just a split second for a normal day to turn to tragedy.
As part of the campaign, farmers across Victoria share their stories and offer practical solutions to help start important conversations and change attitudes around safety in agriculture.
“Safety is very important to me, because I love my family, I love my animals and I want to be there tomorrow and the next day for them,” said Paul.
