In Canada each year, nearly 100 people are killed, and 1,499 others are seriously injured in farm-related incidents. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) says now more than ever, there’s a greater need to ensure safer working conditions and better protection for agricultural and farm workers.
One of the most common causes of injury and death amongst farmers is the unsafe use of equipment. These injuries can be prevented by taking necessary safety precautions. Farm owners are responsible for the safety of their workers and maintenance of their equipment. They must ensure that employees and family workers are trained on the proper and safe ways to do their jobs.
“70% of all farm fatalities involve agricultural machines,” says Gerry Culina, General Health and Safety Manager at CCOHS. “Workers in the agriculture industry work with large, heavy and complicated machinery. It’s really important that these workers understand how to operate the equipment with proper training, or they could find themselves (or someone else) severely injured.”
The risk of injury and illness can be reduced by taking preventive steps such as conducting routine safety inspections on equipment, buildings and grounds – and correcting problems immediately.
CCOHS recently released a free e-course, Orientation on Health and Safety for New Agricultural Workers, just in time for National Farm Safety Week. The course provides guidance on hazards that are common to agricultural operations: working alone, violence, working with chemicals, slips and falls, lifting by hand, machinery and equipment, confined spaces, electricity, and handling animals.
For more resources to help agricultural workers reduce injuries and improve the health and safety of their farmers and workers, visit the CCOHS website.
* Statistics reported by the Canadian Agricultural Injury Surveillance Program
For Further Information, Contact:
Eleanor Westwood, Manager – Communications
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
(905) 572-2981, Ext. 4408 E-mail: eleanor.westwood@ccohs.ca
www.ccohs.ca/
Jennifer Miconi-Howse, Communications Officer
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
(905) 572-2981, Ext. 4241 E-mail: jennifer.miconi-howse@ccohs.ca
www.ccohs.ca/
About CCOHS
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), a Canadian federal government agency based in Hamilton, Ontario is Canada’s national resource for the advancement of workplace health and safety. CCOHS promotes the total well-being – physical, psychosocial and mental health – of working Canadians by providing information, training, education, management systems and solutions that support health and safety programs and the prevention of injury and illness. CCOHS partners and collaborates with agencies and organizations from Canada and around the world to improve the quality and quantity of resources and programs, as well as expand the breadth of usage of occupational health information to many different segments of society.
Source: Canada News Centre
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