One of our conference sponsors has released the following press release regarding their product.

Media release 6 February 2014

Cattle industry swings behind SaferGate
The biggest names in the Australian cattle industry are swinging behind a new type of safety gate purpose built to help reduce stockyard injuries and deaths.
Designed by NSW farmer Edward Evans, who had his leg broken while operating a traditional gate on his property, SaferGate is revolutionising cattle yard safety with its patented pivot system, which helps to prevent catching, crushing and jamming.

Troy Setter, the Chief Operating Officer of world-leading agricultural company the Australian Agricultural Company (AAco), said SaferGate had already prevented potential injury to one of his cattle handlers when an animal struck the gate she was attempting to close. “If it was a normal gate, she would have been hit and possibly seriously injured, however the SaferGate simply folded away,’’ Mr Setter said.

“We have been very supportive of SaferGate and the evaluation process over the last twelve months as employee safety is very important to us and we are always looking for things that improve the working environment for our staff.
“SaferGate has already proved its worth by preventing one of our workers from being
injured. Stopping one injury makes the investment worthwhile,’’ he said.
General Manager of SaferGate, Mike Agnew, said the gate was developed in response to
alarming safety statistics in Australian cattle yards.
“Sadly, on average there are two cattle handling yard deaths and thousands of injuries every year,’’ Mr Agnew said.
“Created to specifically help reduce stockyard incidents, unlike traditional cattle gates,
SaferGate swings away from the operator when an animal charges it preventing injury or
death.”
“This is achieved by a pivot mechanism, which splits the gate into two pieces when hit,
allowing the part of the gate in front of the operator to fold back on itself and away from the
operator.
“The innovation is also designed to provide a protective cage to shield the worker from impact damage and trampling,’’ he said.
Mr Agnew said SaferGate could be installed retrospectively in any existing steel or timber
cattle yard with any gate combination.
The invention has been supported by Federal and state governments and cattle industry
leaders from Australia’s largest pastoral companies, feedlot operators and saleyards including AAco, Freestone Feedlot, Singleton Regional Livestock Market, Shepparton Regional Sale Yards and Longreach Sale Yards as well as Colorado State University and Professor Temple Grandin in the USA.
SaferGate has also won numerous industry awards including Queensland Safe Work Awards, Farm Inventor of the Year and Invention of the Year on ABC TV’s The New Inventors.
For further information visit www.safergate.com.au.
ENDS
Media enquiry to Mike Agnew +61 (0) 413 746 619