Lack of overseas shearers could lead to more injuries, ACC warns

November 2, 2020

The peak season has just begun and the sector relies heavily on international workers.

ACC is warning that a lack of qualified sheep shearers could lead to more injuries within the workforce.

Overseas shearers are still not allowed into the country due to Covid-19 restrictions as peak season approaches, meaning demand for long hours in the physically-demanding job will be high.

Some shearers can get through 60-70 sheep per hour, but strain on the shearers' bodies has increased, with the average weight of a sheep going from around 70kg up to 90kg.

In turn, ACC has noticed an increase in the number of injuries among shearers - up 40 per cent in the past decade.

ACC's Virginia Burton-Konia said the lower number of workers was expected to lead to an increased risk of injury among Kiwi shearers.

"They're already under a lot of stress in their bodies, and by working longer hours, you know that's likely to create a higher risk of more injuries," she said.

Mark Barrowcliffe of the Shearers Contractors Association said it takes two years to become a trained shearer, so the idea of having amateurs fill in doesn't work.

"We're an international transient workforce - there's enough staff somewhere in the world - we've just got the get them to the right places at the right time," he said.

The government says it's planning on looking at the issue, but with the busy seasons already underway, it could be too little too late.

"That window is closing very very fast," Barrowcliffe said.

"We're not asking for a lot and we want to do everything safely - so give the boys a crack and open the doors please."

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