ASHLEY HALL: A new study has found rural workers are drinking more alcohol than their city counterparts, but have little awareness of the health risks.

Researchers say heavy drinking is part of the culture in some regional and remote areas.

But, some rural employers are failing to pick up the signs that workers are drunk or hung over at work.

Rural and regional reporter Sally Sara reports.

SALLY SARA: Researchers have gone bush to find out how much alcohol rural workers are drinking.

The team, led by Charles Sturt University, interviewed more than 150 farming and fishing workers in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

The study found that drinking levels are high; 43 per cent of workers interviewed were classified as risky drinkers, who consumed five to six drinks a day, some drank even more.

The patterns of binge drinking among young people were similar to those across the country. But older rural workers drank more frequently and excessively than their counterparts in the city.

The big concern about alcohol consumption among rural workers is safety.

Some use heavy machinery, work in isolated areas and travel long distances.

Dr Julaine Allan, senior researcher from Charles Sturt University, found some employers were confident they could identify if workers were drunk on the job.

JULAINE ALLAN: A lot of those employers are drinking quite a lot themselves. But, they also felt that if somebody was going, one of their employees was going to be a risk to them that they could tell. You know, that they would know if somebody was still drunk or hung over or affected by drugs and alcohol, and that they would then take some action.

But, when we looked at what the workers said, they said well we often turn up, you know, to work, still drunk or hung-over, you know, crook, having to stop the tractor and throw up, before getting back on again.

So employers understood that the affects of alcohol in particular could be a problem and I guess, the fishing industry was quite a bit more safety conscious, than the farming industry in this regard. But, when the harvest was on or they had to get the fish in or whatever, then the pressures of work, overrode those concerns about the state of their employees.

SALLY SARA: The researchers interviewed workers from a range of different rural sectors including grain, sugar, and fishing.

The study found a culture of excessive drinking in some areas.

Alcohol was identified as a common part of community life. The workers who were interviewed reported lower levels of illicit drug use, but alcohol consumption was high.

The research identified drinking as part of masculine culture in the bush, but some interviewees also observed that women are drinking their share too.

Some said that alcohol is so highly valued it's used as an unofficial currency to pay for goods or casual work.

One member of the Country Women's Association who was interviewed, said she always paid for her firewood with rum.

Dr Julaine Allan says drinking can be a sensitive topic in the bush.

JULAINE ALLAN: To me, that indicates a growing awareness out there that maybe people need to look at their drug and alcohol use and cut down a bit. And it's not such a simple message as tobacco which is just don't smoke, it's, yeah it's ok to have a drink, but it's how much is the issue.

SALLY SARA: The study reinforces the results of other research projects that have found the levels of smoking, obesity, diabetes and heart disease are all much higher in rural Australia.

Life expectancy is lower and often health services are scarce in regional areas, compared to the city.

The Collaborative Partnership for Farming and Fishing Health and Safety will use the research to better understand the role of alcohol in the lives of its workers.

ASHLEY HALL: Sally Sara.