Reading Time: 5 minutes A safer farm begins with three questions, says a longtime farm safety consultant in B.C. What’s the problem? What have you done about it? How can you prove it? “We’re pretty good at ‘a’ and ‘b’ – we recognize the problem and we try to fix it, although sometimes we take shortcuts or monkey-fix it,” […] Read more
‘Realistic, simple and doable’ is key to farm safety plan
Alberta AgSafe modelled on B.C. program that makes listening the cornerstone of its approach
Farmer-led AgSafe program helps producers tackle farm safety issues
Farm Safety Week: The program is free, designed to be practical, and can be tailored for individual farms
Reading Time: 4 minutes Better farm safety can start with small steps. Even a simple act like hanging a sign can play an important role in preventing a disaster. “We have these lockout tags that say ‘Lockout. DO NOT OPERATE,’” said Donna Trottier, extension co-ordinator of the AgSafe Alberta program. “There was an incident a farmer told me about. […] Read more
The devil is in the wording when it comes to farm safety regulations
Farmer input needed before new OHS rules are enforced, says AgSafe Society chair
Reading Time: 3 minutes Progress has been made in getting the provincial government to adopt sensible, practical workplace safety rules for farms, but there’s still work to do, says the chair of the AgSafe Society of Alberta. “There’s some language in the technical wording of the legislation that can be hard to explain and figure out how they practically […] Read more
Temper tantrums: There’s way too much drama on some farms
A Facebook post on hand signals prompted an outpouring of comments from farm women subjected to angry tirades
Reading Time: 4 minutes This summer, a young female farmer posted the following message on Facebook: My husband is the worst ever at hand signals. Ten yrs. farming together and I still have no freaking clue what he is trying to signal to me. It would help if he actually used conventional signals and not his own secret signal […] Read more
Walk the safety talk — literally
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture is reminding farmers to do a full inspection on any equipment they plan to use, including a walkabout, before turning it on. That should include a “full 360-degree walk” around equipment and “looking for damage, excessive wear, loose or missing bolts, debris build-up, damaged or missing safety signs, leaks, tire inflation and fluid […] Read more
Plan for your children’s safety on the farm
Here are some guidelines for creating a ‘hazard-free’ play area
Reading Time: 2 minutes Children “often perceive the farm as a big playground filled with endless opportunities to explore” and parents need to plan accordingly, says a provincial farm safety youth co-ordinator. “Unfortunately, they don’t always recognize the serious dangers that are often lurking around the farmyard,” said Janice Donkers. “Most rural parents want their kids to enjoy life […] Read more
PHOTOS: Kids learn a lesson about farm safety and machinery
The look on their faces said it all
Reading Time: < 1 minute Rural youth got an up-close and dramatic demonstration on what happens when clothing snags on a power takeoff shaft. A dummy stuffed with newspapers explodes in a millisecond — drawing gasps from the young onlookers. More than 750 students from rural Alberta attended Farm Safety Day, which is sponsored by AltaLink, at Calgary’s Stampede Park […] Read more
Safeguard your farm buildings against fire
Emergency plans and regular inspections are key to preventing devastating losses, says expert
Reading Time: 4 minutes Although there are arguably fewer barn and shed fires on farms these days, the ones that do happen are often far more costly. Fortunately, there are also more tools available today to prevent fires. Fire prevention comes down to having a plan, choosing proper materials, and having regular inspections by a licensed electrician, said Dan […] Read more
Five need-to-know facts about occupational health and safety laws
Make sure you now what to expect from the legislation in your province
If you have employees, your farm falls under the provincial occupational health and safety legislation for your province. Each province has slightly different rules, but this is the law and if you are not in compliance you can be fined. You could even be sued, though that would come from the individual employee rather than[...]
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New First Aid and Safety on the Farm program launched
Reading Time: < 1 minute St. John Ambulance and Ag for Life have launched a joint training initiative to help families who live and work on farms prepare and respond to emergencies. Each year in Alberta, there are over 18 agricultural-related deaths and hundreds of injuries. Machinery, rollovers, and animal-related events are the predominant causes. Quick use of first aid[...]
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