Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s been one year since Alberta’s controversial farm and ranch safety legislation came into effect, and the jury is still out as to whether the act is actually making farms across the province safer. But preventing agriculture-related injuries is “pretty complex,” and legislation alone can’t bear that load without some support from training and education, […] Read more
Find ‘your own reasons’ to make your farm safer, says expert
Finding time is often the biggest hurdle, but farm safety expert Donna Trottier says the key is to start small and build on that
Well pits jeopardize water quality and your safety
Even though they were banned more than two decades ago, hundreds of these hazardous pits can be found across Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes When her father attempted to rescue her, he also passed out. The teenaged son who attempted to retrieve both his sister and father was also overcome. Of the three family members who entered the cellar, only the father survived. At first, investigators suspected that the vegetables had rotted and emitted a toxic gas, but the […] Read more
Winter is a great time to make the farm more safe
Taking one or more safety courses could pay invaluable dividends next year for you, your family, and employees
Reading Time: 2 minutes Put farm safety on your agenda for the coming months, says a provincial farm safety specialist. “Winter is a great time to pull out your farm safety plan — or develop one if you haven’t already — and decide what kind of training program your family members and employees should take,” said Blair Takahashi. Some […] Read more
Battle lines drawn on allowing farm workers to unionize
There’s agreement on issues such as overtime and exempting families from the labour code, but prospect of unionization is a flashpoint
Reading Time: 6 minutes Producers remain at odds with the NDP government’s plan to include the right to unionize — and to go on strike — as part of its workplace safety legislation for farms and ranches. “In some areas, we did see some movement and we did get to resolutions,” said Gord Winkel, interim executive director of the […] Read more
Farm groups plan to lead the way on workplace safety
With Bill 6 consultations drawing to a close, AgCoalition aims to ‘show the world’ how to make farms safer
Reading Time: 2 minutes Now that the province’s Bill 6 consultation process is nearing an end, what’s next for the unprecedented coalition of Alberta farm groups? “The AgCoalition was initially set up to advance a safety culture, and yet it got embroiled in a consultation process that it didn’t really have a lot of time or purchase for,” said […] Read more
Workplace compensation claims on farms jump sharply
But the claims offer an opportunity for finding ways to make farms and ranches safer for everyone, says farm leader
Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta farm employee injury claims have more than doubled since workplace compensation coverage became mandatory for farms on Jan. 1, even though the number of workers being covered is only up by two-thirds. During the first six months of the year, 395 claims were filed by farm workers and 356 claims were accepted by the […] Read more
Why I keep a pair of little yellow wellies on my desk
The small rubber boots are the symbol of a U.K. safety campaign and a reminder we need to do more to keep our children safe on the farm
Reading Time: 4 minutes There is a pair of little yellow rubber boots — or wellies as they are called in other countries — sitting on my desk. They are a gift from fellow scholar James Chapman, who is studying and speaking out about farm safety around the world. James lost his arm in a farm accident. The idea […] Read more
Limit your exposure to dust and moulds during harvest
Reading Time: < 1 minute Take into consideration moulds and dust when doing your safety planning for harvest. Threshing and grain moving leads airborne dust and moulds. Breathing in these elements can affect workers’ health and comfort, and, for someone with allergies, it can be life threatening. To limit exposure have the correct and clean air filter in place when […] Read more
For safety’s sake, read this list and check it twice
Haying often means rushing to beat the weather, and that ups the danger, says farm safety expert
Reading Time: 2 minutes Baling season is once again in full swing. Many producers equate baling with hot summer days and a rush to beat the weather. While getting hay baled and off the field is a top priority, doing the job safely should take precedence. “To increase the safety of baling procedures while ensuring the job gets done, […] Read more
Moving past the Bill 6 rhetoric
AgCoalition meetings focus on creating sensible workplace safety rules
Reading Time: 5 minutes The Alberta government’s town halls on Bill 6 last winter were explosive, but recent industry-led meetings didn’t produce similar fireworks. “I thought the meeting went very well. There were lots of ideas thrown around between farmers and the facilitators,” said Turin-area farmer Kevin Serfas, who attended AgCoalition’s producer meeting in Lethbridge on June 22. “The […] Read more
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