Dean Anderson spends his life hearing stories about farm accidents and trying to teach people how to avoid them.
“One of the most frustrating things for me is when I hear about a kid being injured in a situation that could have been avoided,” said the new chair of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA).
Anderson assumed the position Nov. 12 during the CASA annual meeting in New Brunswick. He is president of the Ontario Farm Safety Association
During the conference, he also heard federal representatives announce a $5.3 million contribution over four years.
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“This was very welcome news,” said Anderson, even as he vowed to increase funding from nongovernment sources.
“This money will allow us to continue doing what we do, but we’re slowly getting ourselves in a position where we won’t have to look as much to the government cheque book.”
Private sector groups already donate money as sponsors to co-fund farm safety projects.
CASA said this federal contribution was particularly welcome because it is for a longer term than past government commitments.
“This gives us the luxury of planning our activities in phases.”
A key use of the money will be an expansion of the Progressive Agricultural Safety Days program that is aimed at teaching farm kids safety habits. CASA plans 75 days next year and hopes to extend them into Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
The resource material, imported from the United States, is being translated into French for use in Quebec.
Anderson said lessons taught to children include staying away from farm machinery, being careful around animals, particularly horses, and playing safely.
“We encourage the kids to educate their parents as well,” he said.
“One thing we encourage farmers to do is to create a fenced in play area for young children so when the milk truck or the grain truck rolls into the farm yard, the kids won’t be running around.”
One of the key tools used by CASA is data collected through the Canadian Agricultural Injury Surveillance Program carried out by the Department of Emergency Medicine at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.
It shows 1,769 farm fatalities between 1990 and 2005. During that time, 2,828 children younger than 19 were admitted to hospital for treatment of a farm accident injury.
Most of the mishaps involved farm machinery.
Data from the Centre for the Study of Living Standards shows agriculture has the fourth highest fatality rate in Canada.
“In terms of absolute numbers of fatalities, there is no more dangerous occupation,” CASA said.
The money also will be used to mount exhibits and create web content and training material for farmers to alert them to potential safety hazards on the farm.
Anderson said a 2010 project will be to move the electronic data collected by the Agricultural Injury Surveillance Project from Queen’s University to the University of Alberta.
