Rural plant Code of Practice 2024 - Summary

Following public consultation, the Rural plant Code of Practice 2024 (PDF, 1.73 MB) (the Code) commenced as an approved code of practice under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 on 23 September 2024.

The purpose of this new Code is to help reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities by providing guidance on working safely with rural plant. Updates to the Code are expected to have significant positive impacts on work health and safety outcomes on Queensland farms.

The Code will also support the agricultural industry to meet its work health and safety legislative obligations.

The Code replaces the Rural plant Code of Practice 2004 and the Safe design and operation of tractors Code of Practice 2005.

As tractors are rural plant and a common source of fatalities and serious injuries on farms, the Rural plant Code of Practice 2024 incorporates all tractor safety content.

Other key updates to the Code include:

• guidance on technology including the use of drones, quad bikes and side by side vehicles
• modernised content to remove outdated information (such as references to discontinued Australian Standards) and to include new diagrams and pictures
• guidance on
• how to consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with other duty holders
• requirements for high risk work licences for certain plant.

More information

Learn more about the Rural plant Code of Practice review.

Download the Rural plant Code of Practice 2024 communications kit. (PDF, 2.56 MB)