Kit list by trade
Safety gear for farms and agriculture
What PPE do Australian farms need?
Farm work covers several hazards at once, so the kit usually includes gumboots or rated work boots, sun protective clothing with a UPF rating under AS/NZS 4399, hearing protection for machinery, eye protection under AS/NZS 1337.1, and respiratory protection for dust and chemical handling.
Key takeaways
- Sun exposure is the daily hazard on an Australian farm, and a stated UPF rating under AS/NZS 4399 is the thing to look for on a shirt.
- Gumboots split into safety toe and non safety versions, certified under AS/NZS 2210.3 and AS/NZS 2210.5 respectively.
- Machinery noise adds up over a season, and hearing protectors are matched by class and SLC80 figure under AS/NZS 1270.
- Chemical handling has its own requirements set by the product label and the safety data sheet, which override any general advice.
What sun protection should farm workers wear?
Long sleeve drill or ripstop shirts with a UPF rating stated under AS/NZS 4399, plus a wide brim or legionnaire style hat and eye protection. A UPF rating describes the fabric as tested, so it covers what the garment covers, and exposed skin still needs shade and sunscreen.
Vented and lightweight fabrics make long sleeves workable through an Australian summer, which is the practical reason most ranges are built that way.
Check the UPF figure printed on the listing. A shirt with no stated figure has not been rated for sun protection, whatever the fabric looks like.
Do you want gumboots or work boots on a farm?
Both, usually. Gumboots handle wash down, dairies, mud and chemical splash, and come in safety toe and non safety versions. Rated work boots suit workshop, fencing and machinery work where ankle support and a certified toecap matter more than waterproofing.
Safety toe gumboots name AS/NZS 2210.3 on the listing. Non safety gumboots name AS/NZS 2210.5, which covers occupational footwear without a toecap.
Chemical resistance belongs to the specific boot material, not to gumboots as a category. Check what the listing says the material resists against what you actually handle.
What hearing and eye protection does farm machinery need?
Hearing protectors with a class and SLC80 figure under AS/NZS 1270, chosen against the measured noise level of the machine, and eye protection with a stated impact rating under AS/NZS 1337.1. Tinted or polarised lenses help outdoors but do not replace the impact rating.
Earmuffs suit intermittent use because they go on and off quickly. Earplugs suit long runs in a cab, where muffs get hot.
What respiratory protection does farm work need?
Grain, hay and soil dust and chemical spraying all bring respiratory protection into scope. Devices sold in Australia name AS/NZS 1716 with a filter marking such as P2 for particulates or a combined marking for vapours. The chemical label and safety data sheet set the requirement.
A tight fitting respirator needs a seal, so facial hair across the sealing surface defeats it regardless of the filter.
The chemical label and the safety data sheet decide the filter, not a product page. Match the marking on the filter to what the label calls for before you order.
Who regulates farm safety in New South Wales?
SafeWork NSW administers work health and safety on New South Wales farms under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW). Chemical use carries separate requirements set by the product label and the relevant control of use rules.
Farms are workplaces in the same way any other business is, including where family members are the workers.
Where to start
Guides for this trade
- Bekina Steplite X Solidgrip gumboot
- Bata Jobmaster 400mm non-safety gumboot
- King Gee Hydroguard steel toe gumboot
- Bisley cool lightweight drill shirt, short sleeve
- King Gee drill shirt, long sleeve
- Syzmik mens outdoor short sleeve shirt, ZW465
- Force360 Calibr8 polarised safety glasses
- Force360 Eco earmuff, class 5 hearing protection
- Force360 P2 disposable respirator, box of 20
- DNC cotton drill action back overall
Frequently asked questions
What does UPF 50+ mean on a farm shirt?
UPF 50+ is the top rating band reported under AS/NZS 4399 for a fabric tested for ultraviolet transmission. It describes the fabric of the garment as tested and says nothing about the neck, face and hands, which still need a hat, shade and sunscreen.
Are safety toe gumboots worth it on a farm?
Where there is a crush or impact hazard, such as stock work, machinery or heavy handling, a safety toe gumboot certified under AS/NZS 2210.3 is the version to buy. For wash down and mud alone, a non safety gumboot under AS/NZS 2210.5 is the usual choice.
What respirator suits chemical spraying?
The chemical label and the safety data sheet set the requirement, and a combined filter marking is common for vapours plus particulates. Respirators sold in Australia name AS/NZS 1716. Selecting a device for a specific product is a job for the label, not a buying guide.
Do farms have to follow work health and safety law?
Yes. A farm is a workplace, and in New South Wales SafeWork NSW administers the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) across it. Other states and territories have their own regulator.