More can be done to improve farm safety, survey shows

By Janet Kanters, Editor

A significant portion of Canadian farmers have had an incident resulting in an injury or close call on their operation, but these accidents don’t necessarily change behaviour.

This, according to a recent survey by Farm Credit Canada (FCC).

“It’s unfortunate that it sometimes takes an incident or close call to motivate producers to put in place farm safety measures,” said Marcel Hacault, executive director of the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association (CASA), a non-profit organization formed in 1993 to respond to health and safety issues in agriculture.

“It’s even more unfortunate if they don’t take action to prevent incidents from happening again,” he said.

The survey, conducted from Feb. 10-21, found that seven in 10 producers (72 per cent) have had an incident resulting in an injury or close call on their operation at some point in their lifetime, and a quarter (24 per cent) of producers report having had one within the last year.

It also showed that producers who have had a safety incident on the farm are no more likely to access safety information or develop a safety plan than those who have not had an incident. However, a growing number of producers recognize their work is not done safely all the time.

“Awareness is usually the first step toward taking preventative action,” Hacault said. “It’s not only obvious dangers that pose risk. There are often hidden hazards that can harm you, an employee or a family member.”

The survey showed only one in 10 producers (14 per cent) surveyed indicated they have a written safety plan for their operation and 70 per cent of those with plans felt it is effective in preventing injuries.

Hacault said a safety plan serves as an inventory of the various hazards that exist on the farm, and sets out practices and procedures to prevent close calls or injuries from happening. It only takes one moment of distraction, fatigue or complacency to change a person’s life forever.

Seeding and harvest are among the most dangerous times of year, since many producers are working long hours and are racing against the clock to get the job done.

“Producers have to remember that the most valuable asset on any farm are the people who do the work,” Hacault said. “By taking care of ourselves and those around us, we are contributing to our long-term success in both business and life.”

Producers can access safety information or training from a variety of organizations, including industry associations, provincial agriculture safety associations, agriculture suppliers, government and non-profit agencies, such as CASA, Red Cross and St. John Ambulance.

COVID-19 safety

This year, COVID-19 safety is also top of mind for farmers. Indeed, keeping up to date with COVID-19 details and recommended protocols is challenging for everyone at this time.

The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), a national, non-profit organization focused on addressing human resource issues facing agricultural businesses across Canada, has created a dedicated webpage with the latest information, recommendations, employee management tips, tools (posters, policies) and links to authorities. 

The information may help farmers and ranchers respond to the pandemic and limit the impact and spread of COVID-19 within farm businesses. Visit https://cahrc-ccrha.ca/.