When it comes to promoting safety around the farm, Kim Hobbs says producers need to be just as vigilant about fatigue as they are about drinking alcohol before driving. “Now, we’ve all heard of Mothers Against Drunk Driving,” she told a recent webinar hosted by AgSafe Alberta. “But I’m looking forward to the day when […] Read more
Tag Archives farm safety
Researcher studies ATV accidents
Seeing children in hospital from all-terrain vehicle accidents prompted a nurse and University of Calgary grad student to conduct a research project on childhood ATV injuries. Marissa Grossi said the study participants are between ages 18 and 29, but all had an ATV-related injury when they were 18 years or younger. “We’re curious to find […] Read more
Air rescue service offered guaranteed funding
It’s been a 15-year turbulent lead-up to the Alberta government’s announcement of funding for southern Alberta’s Helicopter Air Lift Operation (HALO). The air rescue service came to the brink of disbanding several times but now that appears to be over. “For the first time, HALO will be offered guaranteed funding and a contract with Alberta […] Read more
Farm safety made accessible
Jody Wacowich often gets told at meetings about farm safety that preventing accidental deaths or injuries is a matter of common sense. Unfortunately, common sense isn’t really that common, said Wacowich, executive director of AgSafe Alberta. That’s why her organization recently launched FARMERS CARE, a free online program whose title is an acronym detailing 11 […] Read more
Cold water rescue skills put on ice
Volunteer firefighters from Sask. communities near Lake Diefenbaker learn how to respond to accidents on the ice
The risk of accidents befalling people in water and ice may rise as traffic on Lake Diefenbaker increases, according to local fire department officials. From boating and swimming to ice fishing and waterskiing, the manmade lake is a popular recreational destination. Two volunteer fire departments near the lake’s east side recently undertook rescue training in […] Read more
Producers urged to update farm safety plan
Spring is considered to be a good time for farmers to take a fresh look at potential hazards before things get too busy
Just as some people clean their houses from top to bottom each spring, producers must closely examine their farms and ranches for safety hazards at this time of year, says a national advocate. “Everybody gets complacent, right?” said Robin Anderson, communications co-ordinator for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA). “It doesn’t matter who you are, […] Read more
Dairy farm fined for worker’s death
A Saskatchewan dairy farm has been fined $80,000 after the 2020 death of a worker from Mexico. Jimlee Farms Ltd. of Summerberry pleaded guilty in February after an occupational health and safety investigation into the Nov. 19, 2020, death of Jesus Heinar Zavala Guevara. The temporary foreign worker’s clothing became caught in an unguarded power […] Read more
Angel Wings helps save human lives
Hooking up trailers and checking hoses in high-traffic situations at night can be deadly. The lighting setup used by most truckers and farmers can contribute to the danger. There’s no Canadian data available, but the United States Bureau of Statistics said American tow truck drivers experience 42.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers. In contrast, the rate […] Read more
Farm accident claims Prince Albert-area rancher
The agricultural community near Prince Albert, Sask., is grieving the death of a 34-year-old husband and father of three who died following a farming accident. Matt Swaby died Nov. 26 leaving a wife and three children. According to the Prince Albert Fire Department, the service had responded to the farm in the Rural Municipality of […] Read more
Making quads safer
CORRECTION – October 29, 2021 – 1400 CST – This story originally said the roll bar on the Lifeguard operator protection device is made from metal. It is actually 60 plastic segments – bound with a cable. From 2013 to 2019, 705 people were killed in all-terrain vehicle accidents in Canada. Over the seven years, […] Read more
