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
Plan for your children’s safety on the farm
Here are some guidelines for creating a ‘hazard-free’ play area
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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Why on earth would someone go into a bin with the auger running?
Reader can’t fathom why someone would do that, but safety expert explains it only takes a moment of carelessness
Reading Time: 3 minutes Editor’s note: The questions posed in the letter from Doug Burkard were passed on to Glen Blahey, agricultural health and safety specialist with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association. Both the letter and response are below. I have just read the article “Trapped in a flash — the horror waiting inside a grain bin.” I was[...]
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A terrible toll: Farming still claims too many lives
The latest statistics show an encouraging but modest decline in the number of farm fatalities
Reading Time: 4 minutes The number of people killed in farm accidents continues to decline, but a new report also says “there is no more dangerous occupation” than farming. The average number of fatalities fell from 116 annually from 1990 to 2001 to 84 in the latest 10-year reporting period (2003 to 2012), according to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting[...]
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Fatality report highlights the many dangers of farming
The grim statistics are a reminder that some everyday activities can also be very hazardous
Reading Time: < 1 minute The language is plain, the numbers clear, and the take-home message is simple — danger is ever present on farms. Although run-overs, rollovers, and being pinned or struck by machinery account for 369 of the 843 fatalities in the latest Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting report (covering the period from 2003 to 2012), tragedy strikes in[...]
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Tips for safely operating grain augers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Entanglements are one of the top hazards on a farm, and augers are often involved. If an auger is new or new to you, or hasn’t been used in a few months, review the owner’s manual (which many manufacturers have online). Before starting the auger, check that all guards are secured in place and check[...]
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Don’t take chances when removing duals
Reading Time: < 1 minute While duals are useful to improve traction and reduce soil compaction, removing them when not needed reduces tire wear and enhances manoeuvrability. But removing duals can be hazardous and people have been crushed by falling wheels or suffered strains and sprains. Read more: Ribbons to promote ag safety Removing duals is a two-person job and[...]
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