Make hive rego numbers visible
More than a third of beehive claims paid out by FMG are due to criminal activity including burglary, theft, and arson. Having your registration number on the front and back of each beehive means your hives can be easier to identify if they’re being transported on the back of the vehicle. Where possible, avoid positioning apiaries in visible locations or where they can be easily accessed by the public (like near a gate or public road).
Avoid placing your smoker on grass
In our experience, most rural fires involving apiarists are caused by smokers. If the fire gets out of control, as well as damaging your own property, this could spread to neighbouring properties causing substantial damage to them – making you potentially liable for the cost of repairs and replacements. When using a smoker, you should follow any fire bans or permit requirements and have a knapsack sprayer full of water on hand in case a fire breaks out.
Look after yourself and your staff
Industries like apiculture come with a significant number of risks to the people performing the day-to-day tasks. Not only is it important to have health and safety management plans in place for you and any staff, it’s equally important to have a plan for if you, or key people in your business, cannot work due to injury or serious illness. This includes having a look at your finances to make sure you can afford to bring in extra workers and/or continue to pay accounts and debt.
