A Canadian farm safety organization and prairie canola groups are teaming up to build and operate a mobile grain entrapment demonstration unit to help prevent more people from dying in grain accidents.
“This grassroots support means that we have a solid start to this new and vital program,” said Marcel Hacault, executive director of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.
In September, a Saskatchewan grandfather and grandson died while emptying a grain truck. In October, three children died while unloading canola on their Alberta home.
Hacault hopes the new units will help prevent more tragedies.
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Second Harvest, billed as Canada’s largest food rescuer, was on hand at Ag in Motion in Langham, Saskatchewan, from July 15 to 17 to connect with farmers and raise awareness of their presence on the Prairies.
“Each of these units would serve communities at fairs and trade shows, train first responders in grain rescue techniques and be used by commercial grain famers for training agricultural workers.”
The group plans to build and operate three units throughout Canada.
The Manitoba Canola Growers Association, the Alberta Canola Producers Commission and SaskCanola have agreed to contribute $30,000 each over three years.
“Projects like the mobile grain entrapment demonstration unit are important to our organization and our industry,” said Jack Froese of MCGA.
“They provide opportunities for agricultural workers, farmer and farm families across the Prairies to learn about the importance of grain safety and spread awareness of the dangers of grain entrapment.”
Contact mary.macarthur@producer.com
