Given their large size, trains often appear to be farther away and travelling much slower than they actually are. Don’t be fooled. It takes the equivalent length of 18 football fields for the average freight train to come to a stop. With nearly 45,000 kilometres of active railway tracks and roughly 40,000 railway crossings from […] Read more
Tag Archives farm safety — page 2
Farm safety includes being rail safe
In a contest between big farm equipment and a train, the train still wins
What’s legal and what’s not for farm equipment on the road
MTO officers provide overview of regulations for farm operators
Farm equipment and farm operators are exempt from many of Ontario’s highway transportation regulations, but these exemptions are far from uniform. During an Ontario Agricultural Conference session, transportation ministry enforcement officers Yvette Campeau and Matthew Mitchell reminded attendees that such exemptions rely on a number of qualifiers. Why it matters: Safely moving farm implements and […] Read more
Are your kids safe on the farm?
Sobering data offered by farm safety advocates show young children and seniors still figure heavily in ag deaths
There’s good and bad news on Canada’s farm injury front. Deaths on farms or related to farming practices dropped an average of 1.4 per cent annually from 2011 to 2020, according to data from the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA). However, there were 624 agriculture-related deaths in that period, an average of 62 per year. […] Read more
Maintain vigilance to prevent silo gas exposure
This season’s weather trends should limit risk
The mid-range weather forecast shows continued occasional rains through September in Ontario, so the risk of elevated nitrates in harvested corn should remain low. That doesn’t mean producers of corn silage should let down their guard in protecting themselves and employees against silo gas poisoning. When filling conventional tower silos, ensure sufficient ventilation and, if […] Read more
Uncontrolled ground current remains a silent killer for livestock
Progress on mitigating the issue issue has stalled after 2022 report
As a five-year-old, Larry Davis remembers an intense tingling that shot up his arm when he cleaned the dairy barn water bowls. “I just said, ‘I can’t do it, I can’t put my hand in there, it stings my whole arm’,” recalls the Ontario Federation of Agriculture director and co-chair of OFA’s Uncontrolled Electricity Working […] Read more
Wildfire smoke could pose health risks to Ontario farmers
Staying indoors to avoid poor weather may be an impractical request of producers
Wildfire smoke and extreme heat are exposing many Ontario farmers to health risks when working outdoors. Since June, Environment Canada has modified and updated heat and air quality alerts for Ontario almost daily, often advising people to stay indoors. Why it matters: Farmers could put their health at risk by working outdoors in adverse conditions. […] Read more
Ignoring fatigue is a slippery slope
Effects of fatigue greatly underestimated
While it’s no secret that long and tiring days go hand in hand with farming, that doesn’t mean becoming complacent about the implications of working while fatigued. Because ignoring the signs of fatigue can put you and others around you at risk. Susan Sawatzky is president and founder of In-Scope Solutions, a health and safety […] Read more
Alberta wildfire fighters prepare for hot, dry days ahead
Temperatures to approach 30 C next week
Reuters — An extended period of hot, dry weather that risks worsening wildfires in Alberta began on Friday, with special weather alerts in place across Western Canada and officials urging people to be vigilant. More than 100 wildfires have ignited across Alberta since last week, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate homes, farms […] Read more
Alberta fairs, auctions offer space for evacuated livestock
Central areas catch break with moisture, cooler weather; CN service resumes
Alberta’s ag societies and livestock auction marts are offering up pen space for producers forced to evacuate animals away from dozens of wildfires in the province’s northern and west-central regions. As of early Thursday evening, the province was tracking 76 active wildfires, of which 22 were listed as “out of control” and 17 as “being […] Read more
Farm safety alliance focuses on next generation
Organization delivers health and safety messaging built on peer-based sharing
Delivery of health and safety education aimed at the next generation in agriculture began in 2017 and now gets input from around the world. The Ag Health and Safety Alliance is a non-profit organization with team members from the U.S., Canada and Australia and has a program model adapted for Denmark, Sweden, Romania and Nigeria. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
