Farms get an A+ when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable on their farms.
Adam Kehler, a research specialist with Farm Credit Canada, detailed findings of the Farm Safety Report Card to the Canadian Agricultural Safety Council conference held in Vancouver in November.
“Safety is taken more seriously when it hits close to home,” he said, citing the strong connection between family and safety on the farm.
“If you hear of one incident of a child being hurt, you’re going to want to make sure nothing like that happens.”
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He said 91 percent of producers reported taking precautions to protect children from farm dangers and 35 percent were interested in training on agricultural safety for children. Almost half expressed an interest in first aid training.
The 2011 survey gave farmers an overall B grade, which is unchanged from the previous survey in 2008.
Top scores were received for safe equipment handling, storage of chemicals, livestock handling and training of family members, with the poorest scores for posting emergency plans and safety policies.
Kehler said the key impediment to practicing farm safety has not changed: farmers continue to take short cuts and work when tired.
“Old habits are hard to break.”
Most producers felt their farm took more safety precautions than their neighbours, but Kehler said there was disparity between intention and action.
While most producers say safety is a priority on their farms, only one in 10 had written safety plans and one in four are seeking safety resources and training.
“With the amount of communication, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be easy to access the information,” said Kehler.
“We don’t want them on tippy toes reaching for the cookie jar. We want it right there.”
He said most farmers go to the agricultural industry for safety resources, followed by the provincial government, farm and commodity associations, CASA, St. John Ambulance and the Red Cross.
