Maria Champagne of AgSafe Alberta promotes farm safety and provides practical advice to keep people safe. Rural residents can place emergency information in a plastic tube and attach it in a prominent place so first responders can help quickly. The tube can hold a farm diagram, information about power shutoffs, critical phone numbers and land locations.  |  Barbara Duckworth photo

Farm safety requires planning ahead

Every farm is different, but there are key goals that are required to keep family and others safe and prevent accidents

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. — Everything can be a risk on the farm but too often taking a shortcut results in life-changing injuries. For the last few years in Alberta, 18 people have died in farm accidents, said Maria Champagne of AgSafe. A first responder who also lives on a farm, Champagne offers advice to […] Read more

The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, in partnership with the Migrant Clinicians Network, released the new resource on Aug. 12, billing it as a road map that could help prevent injuries or deaths. | Screencap via cultivatesafety.org

Farm safety resource hopes to improve child-care access

A farm safety organization has developed a new tool designed to improve access to child care, potentially reducing children’s exposure to hazards. The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, in partnership with the Migrant Clinicians Network, released the new resource on Aug. 12, billing it as a road map that could […] Read more

Since April 1, SaskPower says there have been 240 reported incidents of machinery contacting electrical lines. That's up from 230 at the same time last year. | File photo

Beware of power lines: SaskPower

SaskPower is reminding farmers to take care around power lines during harvest after an increasing number of contacts through the growing season. Since April 1, there have been 240 reported incidents of machinery contacting electrical lines. That’s up from 230 at the same time last year. Spokesperson Joel Cherry said despite continuous efforts to remind […] Read more


Part of the solution, according to Don Voaklander, a professor and the director of the Injury Prevention Centre at the University of Alberta, is having more producers adopt guidelines that outline age-appropriate farm tasks for children, which expose them to the farm life without hazards.
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Will Ont. farm death verdict lead to safer practices?

A recent court case that saw an Ontario farmer convicted of criminal negligence in the death of his son could encourage more farmers to improve safety, according to experts. In the history-making case, Justice Julia Morneau of the Ontario Court of Justice on Aug. 8 sentenced farmer Emanuel Bauman with a 10-year driving prohibition and […] Read more

The controversial farm safety legislation came into effect following nearly two years of government consultation on its details.
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Alta.’s UCP vows to repeal farm safety law

The plan to repeal the law and launch new consultations sparks debate with government leading into provincial election

RIMBEY, Alta. — The future of Alberta’s farm safety legislation is hanging in the balance as the province heads into an election this spring. The opposition United Conservative Party and governing NDP are sparring over the UCP’s plans to kill the new safety rules imposed by the NDP, the legislation otherwise known as Bill 6, […] Read more


Dave Brand is director of Community & Protective Services with Red Deer County. | Maria Johnson photo

Alta. firefighters practice grain entrapment rescue

RED DEER — Grain can be deadly. In mid-October of 2015, three young sisters northwest of Red Deer died in a farm accident when they became buried in canola seed. Earlier that same autumn, a teenaged boy and his grandfather suffered the same fate on a farm in southwestern Saskatchewan. Dave Brand, director of Community […] Read more

Hanneke Camps, who employs five to 19 people, depending on harvest, adopted the province’s new rules for her workers.  |  Hanneke Camps photo

Alta. farmers still uncertain over safety rules

These are the requirements that apply to farms with paid employees. They don’t apply to family members, neighbours or friends helping out:


Confusion continues over Alberta’s new farm safety rules, which took effect earlier this month. The rules require farms and ranches with paid employees to follow a set of safety guidelines, as well as have coverage from the Workers’ Compensation Board, but some producers are still unsure about how they apply to their operations, said Jody […] Read more

Greg Flondra died in a baling accident in the summer of 2017.  |  Flondra family photo

Family farm accident sheds light on safety awareness

While cutting hay in August 2017, Peter Flondra noticed something wrong when he saw smoke a short distance away coming from a different field. He called his wife, Mary, and daughter, Tamara, to immediately check it out. When they arrived, they discovered the whole bale hiker that their son Greg was using was on fire. […] Read more


Producers looking to enhance safety on their farm or ranch can now apply for grants from the Alberta government. | Screencap via www.alberta.ca

Alta. farm safety grant program now open

Producers looking to enhance safety on their farm or ranch can now apply for grants from the Alberta government. The province recently announced it is now accepting applications for farm safety grants. Farms operations with paid, non-family employees can apply. The province announced the grant program earlier this summer as part of upcoming changes to […] Read more

Starting Dec. 1, seatbelts will be required wherever possible for all equipment that is more than 700 kilograms. If it’s not possible to install them, the rules state farmers must use reasonably practical methods, such as driving slow.
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Alberta gov’t unveils new farm safety rules

The new rules, which go into effect Dec. 1, address seatbelt use, operating older equipment and conducting inspections

Alberta farms and ranches with paid employees will soon be required to follow a slate of new safety rules, some of which address using seatbelts, operating older equipment and conducting inspections. The province announced the incoming changes last week in an effort to strike a balance between keeping farm workers safe while ensuring operators can […] Read more