Wellington Federation of Agriculture president offers farm safety advice

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Canadian Agricultural Safety Week has returned, raising awareness of the various hazards in the agricultural sector.

The annual campaign is held this month to share information and resources with the aim of keeping farming operations safe and preventing injuries and fatalities.

Wellington Federation of Agriculture president Barclay Nap shared insights into the possible dangers of farming. 

“Awareness is good,” Nap told the Advertiser.  

“Everyone needs the reminder.”

Roads safety

Nap said roads are  becoming increasingly dangerous due to higher traffic volumes.

More people means more vehicles, even in the rural areas, he said.

Machinery operators should engage flashing lights and ensure triangular slow-moving signs are attached.

Residents driving behind equipment, Nap said, should know “it’s not going to be moving at your speed and to anticipate slowing down before you get to it.”

“They can’t pull out of driveways or fields at the same speed that a car can,” Nap added.

Rail safety

According to the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), nearly 45,000 kilometres of active railway tracks and roughly 40,000 railway crossings from coast to coast, making them a daily encounter for many Canadians.

With train rails passing through farmland and over roads, CASA recommends vehicles and machinery stop no closer than five metres from the nearest rail.

Remember: stop at all railway crossings, look both ways and listen carefully. 

Farm machinery

“If you’re doing a two-or-more-operator task then it’s important to have hand signals,” Nap said, especially when wearing ear protection.

“Ear protection is also important around louder machines.”

Around 44% of agricultural machine-related fatalities involved a tractor, according to Canadian Agriculture Injury Reporting from 2011 to 2020.

Tractors were also involved in 55% of machine-related deaths among children aged one to four. 

This is why Nap recommends having a known safe area for those on the farm when a machine is in use.

Nap suggests staying alert  around moving machinery, including minding your hands, limbs and clothing.

Nap also suggested not wearing loose clothing around machinery.

Livestock

“I’ve been injured by livestock and I know other people have as well,” Nap said. 

“Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t.”

Livestock are animals that are hard to predict.

“We sometimes think animals think like us. They don’t,” Nap said. “You always have to be careful to keep them safe and yourself safe.”

Nap said never turn your back on an animal and to always know where they are.

CASA recommends making sure cattle-handling areas are well kept and free of debris to avoid falls that can lead to an injury. 

The organization also recommends keeping cattle calm as startled or excited animals can become dangerous. 

Nap said beware of visitors and how they may interact with livestock.

“You can bring something from the bottom of your shoes into a barn that could be a biohazard risk for the livestock,” Nap said. “That’s how the avian flu can get transferred into barns.”

Visitors may also lack farm knowledge about machinery and uneven surfaces.

“It’s not a petting zoo,” Nap said.

Though the advice may seem obvious, Nap said, “farmers are human. We have a lot of things on our mind and sometimes we’re so focused on the task at hand ... things may slip our minds.”

“There should be more than one week in the year for farm safety but we have to start somewhere,” Nap said. 

“We all need a reminder.”