A Safe Work NSW inspection blitz across the Coffs Harbour region has uncovered dozens of workplace-safety issues in the horticulture industry. The operation followed concerns about conditions faced by workers in the fruit-picking sector, including allegations of modern sla-very and exploitation.

Safe Work NSW conducted inspections over eight days, visiting 28 businesses in the Coffs Harbour region. Inspectors issued a total of 34 compliance notices, consisting of 29 improvement notices and five prohibition notices.

The five prohibition notices are particularly significant because they required certain work to stop immediately until the identified safety risks were addressed and rectified. These orders were issued to labour-hire firms operating on the Coffs Coast after inspectors identified serious risks at particular workplaces.

The Coffs Coast operation formed part of a broader Safe Work NSW blitz involving the horticultural industry. Inspectors also conducted a separate two-day operation in the Riverina, where another 32 businesses were inspected and 10 compliance notices were issued. Overall, 44 notices were issued across the two regions.

Safe Work NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said inspectors focused on farms, pack houses, agricultural businesses and labour-hire arrangements associated with berry picking. The investigation was not limited to individual farms; authorities were also examining relationships between labour-hire companies and businesses further along the agricultural supply chain.

The safety problems identified during the inspections included issues involving moving plant and machinery, electrical safety and hazardous chemicals. These are important workplace risks in agricultural environments, where workers can operate machinery, work around electrical equipment and handle chemicals as part of farming and packing operations.

Inspectors also spent time speaking with workers and employers about workplace rights, safety systems and available support. Safe Work NSW is training inspectors to recognise potential indicators of modern s-lavery, reflecting the broader concerns surrounding vulnerable workers in parts of the fruit-picking industry.

The operation followed concerns raised through a NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern s-lavery risks faced by temporary migrant workers in rural and regional areas. Allegations surrounding the fruit-picking industry have included claims of underpayment and workers not receiving appropriate employment entitlements. These broader allegations are part of the reason authorities have increased scrutiny of labour-hire arrangements.

The NSW Work Health and Safety Minister, Sophie Cotsis, said more work was needed to protect vulnerable workers. She also said some workers may be afraid to provide information because of concerns about their circumstances or identification. The government has indicated support for a national labour-hire scheme, while also considering options for a NSW-based system.

Safe Work NSW said inspectors provided businesses with instructions explaining what needed to be corrected. Businesses can be given timeframes for completing improvements, and inspectors may return to check whether required changes have been made.

Authorities also passed relevant information to the Australian Federal Police following the operation. Safe Work NSW said additional inspections are planned during the fruit-picking season, meaning further compliance action could follow.

The operation is significant for Coffs Harbour because horticulture is an important part of the local economy, particularly berry production. The region relies on seasonal workers during harvesting periods, making safe and lawful labour-hire arrangements important for both workers and agricultural businesses.

Safe Work NSW states that labour-hire workers have the same workplace health and safety rights as other workers, including the right to a physically and psychologically safe workplace and the right to raise safety concerns.

The latest inspection results do not mean every business involved was found to have committed an offence. Compliance and prohibition notices are regulatory actions addressing identified workplace risks, while individual allegations of criminal or exploitative conduct require separate investigation and due process.

For Coffs Harbour, the focus now turns to whether businesses comply with the notices and whether future inspections identify further problems. Authorities say inspections will continue as the picking season progresses.