Horticulture
Industry Module

The horticulture industry is all about growing and caring for plants, including fruit, vegetables, nuts, flowers, turf, and nursery products.

The industry offers hands-on opportunities for young people, including those starting out through school-based traineeships, as well as seasonal work often filled by young temporary or short-term workers.

19%

Be Aware

of work-related injuries in this industry involve young workers.

That's nearly 1 in 5.
Stay safe. Grow strong.

Module structure

  • 8 Sections

    Each with a quiz, followed by a fun ‘Spot the Hazard’ industry simulation.

  • 27 to 30 Minutes

    Estimated learning time

100% pass required, but don’t worry, you get unlimited attempts.

Working in the horticulture  industry can be dangerous

The horticulture industry might seem safe, but working outdoors, with tools, machinery, or plants, can bring unexpected risks.

Young workers, including school-based trainees and seasonal workers, may take part in activities such as planting, picking fruit, potting plants, or helping to maintain gardens and nurseries. 

In this industry, young people may take on roles such as:

  • Nursery Worker

    Help grow, care for, and sell plants, flowers, and trees in nurseries or garden centres.

  • Fruit or Vegetable Picker

    Harvest produce on orchards, vineyards, or vegetable farms, often as part of a seasonal team.

  • Farm Hand

    Support general farm activities, including planting, irrigating, fertilising, and helping with machinery.

  • Grounds Person

    Maintain parks, gardens, or sports fields, including mowing, pruning, and landscaping tasks.

  • Horticulture Plant Operator

    Operate machinery and equipment used in large-scale horticulture or crop production (usually with supervision or training).

These roles help young workers build valuable skills and experience in nurseries, on farms, or out in the field — but it’s important they also learn how to stay safe along the way.

Statistics

Top incidents causing injuries

These are the top incidents causing injuries to young workers in the horticulture industry, based on a five-year average.

Additional risk zones

  • Contact with a chemical or hazardous substance

  • Electrical safety

  • Noise

  • Legionnaires's disease

  • Working in hot conditions

  • Vehicle incident

Source

WorkCover WA claims data (2019–20 to 2023–24p), analysed by WorkSafe WA, 2025.

Notes

  • Calculations are based on a five-year total from 2019-20 to 2023-24p.
  • Percentages are based on all incident types; totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding or overlapping categories.
  • Injuries are measured by the number of LTI/Ds (lost time injuries/diseases), defined as one or more days/shifts lost.
  • The SmartMove horticulture industry is classified under ANZSIC 2006 -Groups:
    • 011 Nursery and Floriculture Production
    • 012 Mushroom and Vegetable growing
    • 013 Fruit and Tree Nut Growing
    • 015 Other Crop Growing

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