Canadian Agricultural Safety Week, the annual nation-wide initiative delivered by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association has wrapped for another year but raising awareness about the importance of safe agriculture is something that justifies a spotlight 365 days a year.

As a Health & Safety Consultant with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services and a farmer, Ryan Dick talks about it every day. In fact, Ryan is out in the field today working with a farm operation in Dundas, Ontario. Welcome back to the Farm Safety Roundup Ryan.

This year the focus was on providing practical safety advice and encouraging conversations about farm safety while showcasing how safety directly contributes to the success and sustainability of farming operations.

Ryan we know there is a high rate of lost time injuries in the sector and they can take a devastating toll, but we also know many incidents are preventable?

Farm safety is about:

• being aware of hazards – aware every worker has rights- and every farmer has a responsibility to protect workers on their farm
• Safety training- implementing new safety procedures and improving existing ones

As all of us who’ve worked the farm, day to day, let’s be honest, most of us have experienced a close call.  What can we learn from these near misses?

• Learning from near misses, sharing the learning and introducing mitigation strategies
• Encouraging OPEN dialogue -a collaborative approach
• Adopting attitudes that make safety an important part of the daily routine

Farming has its rewards, but also its own set of unique risks, to families as well as workers?

• hazards and risks and precautions ensure children’s safety
• establish boundaries, and provide supervision.
• lead by example by modelling safe practices and building traditions that involve safety

And kids need to be responsible too. They easily be can be distracted by technology?

And that means taking care of YOU. Farmers need to take time to take time for themselves?

• be aware of your limitations for your physical and mental well-being – your farm’s success  is directly dependent on your well-being
• take time to prioritize tasks by looking at what will benefit you and your farm the most.

Changing face of success -success means different things to different people. What looked like success in the past may not look like success today or in the future?

• Putting health and safety at the forefront can help ensure success
• Daily pressures/stressors, which is why it’s essential to be mindful of limitations
• Safety culture is a leading indicator of farm success/business health

For WSPS – success on the farm means everyone coming home safe every night, and that is determining factor in how farmers should also view.

For tips, tools and free, easy to use resources: WSPS.ca/Farmsafety