Reading Time: 3 minutes In recognition of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week March 12-18, here’s a sobering safety fact: 50 per cent of farm safety incidents in Canada occur when the victim is working alone. The average farmer and rancher in Alberta spends a significant amount of time working alone. Some tasks are even designed to be done alone. But […] Read more
Include safety in your plans before you work alone this spring
Thinking ahead and identifying hazards can help avoid potentially life-threatening situations
Schoepp: We are always only a moment away from life-altering change
On farms across the country, pain and grief are all too familiar, but so are stories of perseverance and miracles
On farms across the country, pain and grief are all too familiar, but so are stories of perseverance and miracles
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is calving time on many farms. It’s normally a joyful time of the year as we receive new lives into the fold and look with hope to a season of warmer weather and green grasses. But for some families, it is also a brutal reminder of challenge, broken bodies and long recoveries. These past […] Read more
Webinars offer expert advice on making your farm safer
Reading Time: < 1 minute AgSafe Alberta is putting on a series of webinars to promote farm safety. On Jan. 31, an expert from the University of Iowa will discuss safety training for young adults and teens. Younger people are at an increased risk of injury because of developmental differences (both physical and cognitive), inexperience, fatigue and distracted behaviours. On […] Read more
American Farm Bureau, Deere sign ‘right to repair’ memo
MOU to seek private-sector solutions
Chicago | Reuters — The American Farm Bureau Federation and machinery manufacturer Deere and Co. signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday that ensures farmers have the right to repair their own farm equipment or go to an independent technician. As the agriculture sector accelerates its adoption of technology, the reliance on high-tech machinery such […] Read more
Grant aims to raise awareness of wildfire risk
Reading Time: < 1 minute Organizations can apply for a $500 grant to host a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day in their area. The ‘Prep Day’ is held on the first Saturday in May (May 6 this year) with the goal of bringing residents together to “work on projects that raise awareness of wildfire risk and increase their resilience to it.” […] Read more
Opinion: Hiding in plain sight – hazards posed by grain bins
It’s a risk that can’t be ignored. Last year, two farmers in Alberta died after falling from a grain bin
Reading Time: 2 minutes Last year, 11 people were killed on farms in Alberta. Over the past 11 years in the province, an average of just over 15 people have lost their lives each year on farms. Most were the owner/operators of the farm. We urge you to make a commitment now, to keep yourself, your family and your employees safe. […] Read more
Schoepp: Take a ‘man overboard’ approach to make your farm safer
Sailors don’t leave harbour without going over the safety plan for that day. It’s an approach farmers should also take
Reading Time: 3 minutes I learned a lot about farm safety while sailing this summer. We set off for a week of fair skies, light winds and glorious sunsets, which were delivered in breathtaking beauty. On our first day out, a Minke whale graced our port side, followed during the week by porpoises and four humpback whales. Eagles soared, […] Read more
Preventable farm accidents continue to take a grim toll in Alberta
Farm workplaces are dangerous places — thousands suffer injuries every year and some lose their lives
Reading Time: 3 minutes Editor’s note: This story contains graphic content. Farmers and their family members keep getting hurt or killed for the same reasons, so a 14-year veteran of rural medicine is sharing accident stories as a warning during harvest. Dr. Andrew Swinton was one of the foot soldiers on the front line who dealt with serious injuries […] Read more
Be safe and profitable when storing grain
Best practices for safety and preventing spoilage in bins frequently cross over, says safety expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes The pre-harvest season is a good time to think about best practices around grain bin safety. Sounds like one more set of things to do on top of about a million others, right? Not necessarily, said a farm safety specialist. Those already taking action to minimize grain spoilage are also eliminating safety risks, said Robert […] Read more
Safety awareness program for farm kids returns
Reading Time: < 1 minute A safety initiative for farm children is being brought back after a successful launch last year. The BASF Safety Scouts program gives out kits that include an adjustable child-sized safety vest, safety-themed activity and colouring sheets, and badges. Last year, more than 2,000 kits were sent out to farm families across the country, said BASF […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
