Acknowledgements

The following organisations and personnel contributed to the preparation and development of this guideline.

Their assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

• Federated Farmers of New Zealand Inc.
• The Agricultural Health and Safety Council
• New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) and members
• Rural Women
• Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA) staff
• Department of Labour health and safety staff
• Northern Lime Millers Association
• Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Forewords

Foreword by the Minister for Transport Safety

I am very pleased to introduce this guideline. It provides safety information for those in the agricultural and aviation industries who are involved with top-dressing. It covers farm airstrips; the business of producing, carting and storing fertiliser; and how that affects the final application of that fertiliser by a top-dressing aircraft.

This guideline was triggered by a recommendation from an Inquest into a topdressing accident that occurred as a result of a hung load. While that was a tragic accident, the lessons learned from it have been instrumental in the development of a guideline that I am sure will prevent accidents and save lives in the future.

Accidents seldom have a single cause; there are usually many contributing factors. When seeking to prevent accidents, a broad look across all of those industry sectors involved with top-dressing is necessary to prevent top-dressing accidents. This is the approach taken in this guideline.

It has been developed by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand and the Department of Labour, working with the Agricultural Health and Safety Council of New Zealand. Other members include the New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Corporation, Northern Lime Millers' Association, the Road Transport Federation, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

All parties are to be congratulated for their collaborative efforts in developing this guideline, which is widely perceived as having significant safety benefits for all involved in top-dressing. Adoption of the guideline will ensure that the farming and aviation communities are able to work together, minimising costs while maximising the safety of those people most exposed to the dangers of top-dressing - the pilots.

Hon. Harry Duynhoven
Minister for Transport Safety

Foreword by Federated Farmers of New Zealand Inc.

Federated Farmers welcomes this guideline as the result of the collaboration between pilots, farmers and the wider industry. The Federation recognises the vital role of agricultural aviation in the success of much of New Zealand's pastoral industry. Aerial top-dressing opened up the farming of our expansive hill country, with the third generation of farmers now benefiting from increased pasture growth on what was once marginal land.

These economic gains have not come without cost. Accidents in the industry reflect the risks of an inherently dangerous occupation. Pilots, loader drivers, farmers and fertiliser suppliers all have a role in reducing the risk factors to ensure that the aerial application of fertiliser happens as safely as is possible.

This guideline aims to highlight the responsibilities and potential dangers existing in each role, and to minimise those factors that could lead to an accident. Aerial top-dressing is important to the future of farming in New Zealand, and this guideline will help ensure the safety of those involved in this essential industry in the years to come.

We recommend the adoption of this guideline by all involved.

Charlie Pedersen
President
Federated Farmers of New Zealand Inc.

Foreword by New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association

The New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association is pleased to see the introduction of this Safety Guideline for Farm Airstrips and Associated Fertiliser Cartage, Storage and Application. The agricultural aviation industry is keen to work with farmers, transport operators and fertiliser manufacturers to ensure continued safe and efficient operations in the application of fertiliser by air. We are very grateful for the support offered by the contributing organisations to bring this document to reality.

Ken MacKenzie
Chairman
New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association

Scope

This guideline is aimed at those persons who own, maintain, access or use top-dressing airstrips and fertiliser storage facilities. The guideline is largely good practice rather than mandatory in nature, and expresses guidelines that should aid in maximising safety for all those involved in the top-dressing industry. It also includes recommendations for safer farm access. The reader should note, that if an event does occur, the application of this guideline may be considered by appropriate agencies examining that event.

Review of this guideline

This guideline will be reviewed by the Department of Labour, Civil Aviation Authority, Federated Farmers and New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association by December 2008.

Key Definitions

For the purpose of this guideline the following definitions apply.

Airstrip owner: means the person who has ownership of the airstrip and/or who has the authority to allow or disallow use of that airstrip and/or the land upon which the airstrip is situated. When the land is leased to another party who then effectively has the right of tenure, the term airstrip owner may include the lessee.

Farmer: means the person who has purchased fertiliser and intends to have the fertiliser spread by aerial application onto his/her farm. See also the definition of 'Principal'.

Principal: a person who or that engages any person (other than as an employee) to do any work for gain or reward.

Shall: and Shall not: refers to a recommendation that is mandatory for compliance with a statute.

Should: means a preferred practice or recommendation.

A full list of definitions.

Introduction

The top-dressing industry in New Zealand has its roots in the late 1940s when aircraft were first used for applying fertiliser to land that was, in the context of fertiliser application, inaccessible by other means. Numerous airstrips were built or simply marked out on available land and many have remained in use relatively unchanged. Despite significant and ongoing advances in technology and aircraft performance, the fatal accident rate in the New Zealand agricultural aviation industry has remained high and relatively steady.

In the period 1993 to 2003 there were 18 aircraft accidents that resulted in 19 fatalities in the industry. The size of the fixed-wing agricultural pilot group has consistently remained at about 100 persons equating to a fatality rate of 18% over the ten-year period.

Some of these accidents occurred because of the site or condition of airstrips and their immediate surrounds, or the inability of a pilot to release the fertiliser load because the material was not 'free-flowing'. That is, it contained foreign material or objects, was too wet or became too compacted in the aircraft hopper because it was milled too finely. All these conditions are correctable.

So that there is better recognition and understanding of the need for higher safety standards, this guideline offers advice and identifies and explains the responsibilities of persons involved in this part of the agricultural scene in New Zealand. Success in reducing the accident/injury rate in this area will be as a result of all parties working together.

Objective

The primary objective of this guideline is to reduce the death and injury rate of those people involved with the transport and aerial application of fertiliser, particularly pilots.

This guideline aims to:

• assist fertiliser manufacturers, transporters, airstrip owners, farmers, pilots and others by providing guidance to achieve this primary objective
• give information to assist parties in meeting their obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (the Act). In particular, it aims to provide guidance and methods which may be suitable within the context of 'all practicable steps' in the terms of the Act.

The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 promotes the management of health and safety issues in industry, and requires employers to take 'all practicable steps' to eliminate, isolate or minimise workplace hazards. Obligations are also placed on selfemployed persons, principals, and on persons who control places of work - towards other people in their workplace and towards themselves.

This document includes guidance for:

• manufacturers of fertiliser
• transport operators and drivers
• airstrip owners
• farmers (as purchasers of fertiliser)
• aircraft operators, loader drivers and pilots.

Each of these parties is addressed through a section of this guideline that gives information about the hazards that they can control, general discussion about the hazard(s), detail concerning their responsibilities in the workplace, and how to comply. While each of the parties has their own particular responsibility, many overlap meaning that a breakdown in safety performance in one area can impact further on and significantly affect others.

NOTE: One person or business may have more than one set of responsibilities.

For example:

• the fertiliser purchaser (the farmer), and airstrip owner may be one and the same. Where combined activities are performed by one entity, all sections relevant to those activities apply to that entity. See also the definition of 'Principal'
• a manufacturer, supplier and transport operator may be one and the same, or may be different entities in any combination. Where combined activities are performed by one entity, all sections relevant to those activities apply to that entity.

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