Reading Time: < 1 minute An Alberta farm safety campaign is getting a second life by going national. AgSafe lapel ribbons premiered in Alberta in 2012 to raise awareness about farm safety in the province, said Kenda Lubeck who is a farm safety co-ordinator for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “We wanted a visual that would encourage discussions for every- body […] Read more
Ribbons to promote ag safety
An Alberta idea is going national this winter to encourage farmers to think safety
Farmers urged to make a commitment to safety
Farm Safety Week: The first step is to have a conversation about what safety means on your operation
Reading Time: 2 minutes The theme of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week from March 12 to 18 is ‘Be an AgSafe Family.’ This article by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association talks about the impact of a farm fatality on a family and the farm. Statistics tell us that each year approximately 85 Canadians are killed in an agriculture-related incident. Run-overs, […] Read more
Have your say on employment standards and labour relations regulations
Two reports — one for employment standards, one for labour relations — will be available for public comment until April 3
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta farmers have asked to have their say on proposed new workplace safety rules — and the provincial government says they will now have their chance. The NDP government is asking Albertans to give their views on two reports on proposed employment standards and labour relations recommendations. Feedback will be accepted until April 3 online, […] 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
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
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
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
