Past Grants

Provincial Rally and Year-long Tractor Safety

Quebec 4-H will adopt Tractor Safety as a recurring theme for 2015. The project will progress throughout the year from the provision of safety information to an on-ground pre-operation check session to an on-tractor experience. Throughout the year, Quebec 4-H will dedicate a portion of its bi-monthly newsletter to tractor safety. Monthly posts will be made to the Quebec 4-H Facebook page with imagery and content to catch the attention of youth, providing safety information directly and/or links to appropriate websites. Tractor safety will be included in the annual Quebec 4-H Provincial Rally in the form of a clinic covering the procedures for an on-ground pre-operation check and as a part of the judging competition assessing life skills and identification. The year will culminate with two tractor safety workshops offered in different regions in the autumn of 2015.

Machinery Safety Training Workshops

Approximately 10 training workshops will be offered to agricultural producers through each of the regional UPA federations. The training content will be developed by UPA in collaboration with CSST and the Ministry of Health. The tools developed will be simple and practical and will include PowerPoint presentations, videos and case studies. Training will begin with a train-the-trainer workshop focusing on the health and safety elements of accident prevention related to moving parts. Following the train-the-trainer workshop, regional prevention officers will organize training workshops for farmers in UPA East, Center and West throughout 2015.

Tractor Operator Courses

Two Tractor Operator Courses will be offered to Nova Scotia farmers and farm workers. A one-day course will be designed and offered for those participants that have tractor operator experience and interested in a refresher. A two-day course will be designed for beginner tractor operators will little to no experience. These courses will provide farmers and farm workers the knowledge necessary to operate tractors in a safe and competent manner.

Tractor Operator Courses

Tractor Operator Courses will be offered to individuals in PEI who are in need of tractor safety training. These individuals could be those currently working on farms or those seeking employment in the agricultural industry. Through this training, participants will be educated on how to operate a tractor safely and properly. Training will include a hands-on component to expose participants to actual tractor operations. This training will prepare participants for the written test that is required to obtain a tractor licence in Prince Edward Island.

Tractor Operator Courses

Approximately 80 Agriculture Diploma students and 10 farm workers at the University of Manitoba research farm will receive hands-on, practical training in machinery operation. Students returning to their farms will be able to share this knowledge and provide training to their family and workers on their farms. The 10 research farm workers will be training summer staff and other new farm workers. Training will also be provided for 20 agricultural producers who will provide feedback for future safety workshop development and delivery.

National Integrated Safety Standard Operating Procedures Train-the-Trainer Workshops

This project will train students in the best practices to develop Standard Operating Procedures for tractor and machinery operation. It will include classroom training on CASA’s Safety Standard Operating Procedures Training Module as well as hands on exercises with students developing their own SOPs for their tractor and machinery. The initial session will be facilitated by a trained instructor. Future sessions will rely on trained volunteers to facilitate the group exercises on developing additional SOPs for tractor and machinery. Students will be encouraged to share their SOPs with other students to increase the number of SOPs available to all participants.

Operator Course

The Operator Course will address the need for training on blueberry harvesting machines. The Operator Course will be developed in collaboration with industry experts, producers and representation from both Farm Safety Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Community College. The Operator Course will have a significant emphasis on safety as there are many risks involved with the use of such large specialized equipment. The course will increase the number of safety and competent blueberry harvester operators in Nova Scotia.

Rollover, Runover & Entrapment Train-the-Trainer Workshops

CCHSA will develop materials and facilitate training to provide agricultural organizations and individuals with a useable training manual and electronic resource to specifically promote safety in the areas of machinery rollovers, runovers and entanglements. The project will develop an exceptional half day course that uses case study methods to teach prevention strategies for machinery rollovers, runovers and entanglements. Two pilot train-the-trainer workshops will be facilitated in Saskatchewan. Each person attending will receive the training materials that will give them everything that they need to present this workshop on site.

Integrated Safety Standard Operating Procedures Workshops

A two day workshop series will be organized and delivered by NBYFF to train its members in the importance of tractor and machinery safety and the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to manage critical risk control points. The first workshop will consist of an overview of farm machinery operation safety and the importance of developing SOPs. Participants will be asked to complete a series of SOPs specific to their farm operation. Participants will reconvene for the second workshop to share the results of their on-farm efforts to develop a tractor and machinery safety plan.

Tractor Operator Courses

FARSHA will provide education to farmers and commodity groups that will enable them to train their staff on basic agricultural safety principles, how to recognize and assess hazards associated with the use of this machinery and how to apply hazard prevention and control measures. FARSHA will deliver train-the-trainer sessions for farmers to ensure that they are able to train their own staff. This training will be available to all farmers in each of the regional areas, expanding FARSHA’s training reach.

Tractor Operator Courses

The 4-H program will partner with the Manitoba Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME) dealerships and with SAFE Work Manitoba to develop and deliver a series of workshops at different RME locations in the province on equipment safety training through 2015 and 2016. The training will be geared toward members and leaders who are of an appropriate age and in a position to operate large and small equipment on a regular basis.

Agricultural Equipment Panel

A co-funded Agricultural Equipment Panel will be convened to look at dealing with unsafe equipment being brought into Nova Scotia. The main objective of this project is to identify key barriers related to manufactured and imported equipment and to determine a feasible approval process for this agricultural equipment used on Nova Scotia farms.

Milk House Safety

This program will provide prevention education to Island farmers and their employees on the need for safe work practices and procedures in milk houses, particularly in regards to chemical safety. Two PEIFA staff members will be trained to deliver Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHIMIS) training farmers and employees. As well, a PEIFA staff person will be made available to provide on-farm visits to milk house safety rooms in order to review safety needs including material safety data sheets (MSDS), first aid kits, eye wash stations, PPE, emergency contact information and chemical separation. Finally, PEIFA will produce a short video reviewing safe maintenance procedures in milk houses, which will be shared with the dairy industry across PEI and Canada.

Agricultural Mechanization and Safety

The University of Guelph will develop and deliver a farm safety training program to agricultural students from the Ridgetown and Kemptville campuses. This training program will cover farm hazard assessments, road safety, and tractor and equipment safety and will become integrated into existing curricula. The program will also be adapted into a short course made available to farmers across Ontario as well as farm workers connected with the Ridgetown and Kemptville Campus research farms.

Manual Tree Felling Safety on Agricultural Land

L’Union des producteurs agricoles will develop and run a series of prevention workshops aimed at educating agricultural producers and workers about the risks, hazards, and safe work procedures associated with manual tree felling on agricultural land. The training content will be developed by the UPA in collaboration with la Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST) and the Quebec Ministry of Health.

Community Safety Day

The Bezanson Agricultural Society will be running a one-day community Safety Day made up of three training components: food handling safety, First Aid on the farm, and equine and livestock handling safety. The programming is designed to provide prevention education to agricultural workers, farmers, youth and the rural community at large.

On-Farm Safety Program

The Battle River Research Group will hold three educational workshops/demonstrations on farm safety focusing on prevention information to farmers and their families in east-central Alberta.

National Train-the-Trainer Program for Educating the Canadian Agricultural Industry on Current Occupational Health & Safety Practices

The CFWDR will hold four one-day training sessions across Canada for CFWDR volunteers on the latest occupational health and safety methodology and practices. This training will then enable CFWDR volunteers to attend various agricultural events across the country, conducting farm safety presentations and educating and training rural community members in the latest occupational health and safety principles and teaching practices.

Bear Safety Training for Southwestern Alberta Ranch Families

The Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association will conduct a pilot project focused on providing training and resources to farmers, their families, and farm workers in southwestern Alberta focused on safety concerns associated with farmer-bear conflicts. The pilot will focus on reducing these conflicts by identifying key areas of concern, reviewing risk minimization activities, and how to respond to a bear encounter.

Grain Bin Rescue Training

Farm Safety Nova Scotia will coordinate the delivery of a four-day grain bin entrapment/engulfment rescue training program to rural fire departments and farmers/farmworkers in Nova Scotia to help individuals effectively respond to grain bin entrapments. It is anticipated that the training will increase awareness of grain bin entrapment risks and appropriate emergency response procedures both for first responders and area farmers/farm workers in an effort to mitigate entrapment-related injuries and fatalities.

Young Farmers, Safe Farmers

MFWD will deliver four farm safety training workshops geared towards Manitoba farmers, their families, and farm workers including safe ATV use for children and parents, farm tractor safety and hazard identification for young adults, farm safety risk management and liabilities for adults, and age-appropriate tasks and safe play area awareness for farm parents. The intent will be to educate Manitoba farm families about safe farming practices and to provide them with the knowledge and resources to take action on safety in their own farm yards and lands.

2014 Farm Safety for Kids

The Delia and District Agricultural Society will hold a youth training session focusing on risks and hazards specific to the localized farming community, in particular grain and cow/calf operations. Youth 10 and up will be trained in First Aid, chemical and respiratory safety, fire safety, electrical safety, and the safe operation of small and large machinery. Youth will leave the training session with a better understanding of the dangers and preventative measures associated with local production activities.

Farm Safety Planning Equals Managing Farm Risk

An Agriwebinar® series of 5 bilingual webinars will be delivered focusing on farm safety. Topics include: National Farm Safety Strategy & Farm Safety in General (i.e. farm safety within business risk management); Canada FarmSafe Plan (Introductory) ; Ag Safety Equals Business Risk.

 Pig Handling Training Video

The Pork Council will produce a video in both official languages focusing on handling techniques for pigs while ensuring the safety and health of both the animal and worker. The video content will be guided by Canadian expertise ensuring a technically accurate resource for use across Canada.

Canada Farm Safety Train-the-trainer

The Saskatoon-based Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture will use this funding to promote the use of CASA’s FarmSafe Plan. The Plan will be adapted to suit local needs appropriately and effectively.

 Best Practices in Farm Safety

This program will identify safety training needs through a series of best practices discussions with growers. With the assistance of an experienced safety specialist, a standard safety training course will be developed and delivered throughout the province.

Turkey Industry Safe Work Practices Development

The FCC AgSafety Fund grant will be used to develop a Turkey Safe Work Practices Document to provide an industry specific methodology intended to significantly increase the likelihood of industry stakeholders meeting their respective occupational health and safety obligations at Ontario turkey farms.

The Document will essentially establish a baseline for safety in the workplace on turkey farms. Workplaces that adopt these practices will eliminate or, at the very least, reduce injuries and potential safety hazards to employees.

Piloting the FarmSafe program in Quebec

The QFA proposes to introduce CASA’s FarmSafe program to English farmers in Quebec through a series of six articles in the QFA’s newspaper, a Farm Food Forum webinar in the winter of 2013 – 14, an information pamphlet on the FarmSafe program inserted in the Quebec Farmers’ Advocate plus a presentation at the QFA’s annual general meeting and information day in November 2013. All materials will be placed on the QFA website including a list of trainers for the FarmSafe program

Safety Smarts

The Safety Smarts program targets elementary students in over 500 rural and remote Alberta schools, bringing age appropriate farm safety messaging into their individual classrooms. Increased awareness of farm safety risks allows these children to make informed safety decisions to preserve the safety and health of their families and themselves.

Forklift Certification for Farm Operators and Farm Workers

This program’s goal is to train farm operators/ workers as certified forklift operators able to safely maintain and handle forklifts on the farm. This training will ensure a safer work environment for the operator and other agricultural workers in the immediate workplace.

Training: The Safe Operation of Tractors and Motorized Handling Equipment

In collaboration with CSST and the Ministry of Health, UPA will develop new simple and practical farm safety instruction tools, including a tractor operating guide as well as an illustrated information document on rollovers. Approximately 780 people to deliver the programs will be trained throughout the year.

Young Farmers, Safer Farmers

A series of workshops will be presented for farmers in Manitoba focusing on: Farm Use ATV Safety for children and parents; Farm Tractor Safety and Hazard Identification For Young Adults; Farm Safety, Risk Management and Liabilities for Adults; Age appropriate tasks and hazard identification for children and parents.

Canada FarmSafe Training

This project will train approximately 15 educators in the use of CASA’s Canada FarmSafe Plan, a farm safety business risk management tool. In 2013, a short course on the Canada FarmSafe plan will be offered to farmers, and a course on farm safety to agriculture students. The faculty will also implement training for all farm workers who are connected with the University of Manitoba’s research farm, and incorporate safety content in individual courses.

Improving Transportation Safety for Nova Scotia Farmers

This program will develop a road safety training initiative for farmers, which will cover the latest transportation guidelines such as towing requirements, securing loads, proper lighting and signage, etc. A parallel public awareness campaign will focus on the need to use caution around farm vehicles and equipment on the road.

Valley Circle Farm Safety Education for Youth

This program aims to increase the number of trainers within the community who can train others – specifically students – in safe agricultural practices. Children from kindergarten to grade 12 will be trained on various farm safety topics including first aid, equipment awareness and use, as well as animal safety.

Sleepless in Manitoba

For this project, Manitoba Farm and Rural Support Services will partner with the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture and Farmers with Disabilities to host workshops focusing on the science of sleep. More specifically, the workshops will focus on the importance of improving sleep patterns in order to enhance overall well-being and reduce the risk of accident, injury or death on the farm connected with sleep deprivation.

Agriculture Women Supervisor’s Health and Safety Training

This project will focus on improving the health and safety knowledge of farm workers in the Surrey area, who are primarily older, Indo-Canadian women who face significant language barriers and literacy challenges. Training will be provided in English, Punjabi and Hindi. The project aims to educate health and safety committee members who work in Surrey greenhouses, hot houses and nurseries in a variety of areas, including safe transportation, what constitutes a healthy facility, workplace stress, the proper use of protective equipment, bullying and addressing harassment in the workplace. Training these committee members (who are supervisors) in health and safety will enable them to better work with their peers, and uphold the best practices in their everyday work.

Farm First Aid Training

This project will train English-speaking rural youth in first aid in their first language (which is English) and share this knowledge with family, friends, and other youth. A total of 42 participants will be certified in first aid on the farm between the fall of 2012 and the spring of 2013. Each participant will receive farm safety materials and mini first aid kits.

Young Farm Worker Safety Workshop

This project will train young farm workers in farm safety areas such as farm hazard assessment, rural road safety, farm chemical safety, tractor rollover protection, large animal handling, equine safety, fire extinguisher training, ATV and small tool safety. Workshops include a combination of classroom and hands-on training.

Santé et Sécurité au travail : Accueillir, former et superviser

This program will offer 30 training sessions to agricultural producers on topics such as onboarding, training and supervision in occupational health and safety. Participants will also be provided with a training guide and training tools.

Farm Safety Walkabout Workshops

This project will offer 12 farm safety workshops to producers across Saskatchewan with a focus on assisting them in the development of farm safety plans. Instruction will be based on a farm safety plan, which will be given to participants at the end of each workshop.

Farm Safety Workshops

Information Workshops on farm inspections that help identify and evaluate risks and indicate appropriate control measures.

Hazard & Risk Training

Provide training for farm owners and operators on how to use and conduct facility-specific hazard and risk assessments, enabling them to train their employees on safe work practices. These will be developed from commodity-specific hazard and risk assessments being conducted by the PEI Federation of Agriculture.

ATV Safety Strategy

Train farm and rural families on the safe use of All-Terrain-Vehicles (ATVs). An increased number of farm and rural families are using ATVs within their farm operations on a daily basis with limited training and knowledge of operating them safely. In addition to this training, the program will offer “Train-the-trainer” workshops within the province to build capacity. This strategy will allow us to extend the reach, with an increased number of certified trainers within the province following this training.

General Health and Safety Services

A web based e-learning package with content focused on health and safety for new farm workers. The content is intended for workers on farms of all sizes including, but not limited to, new farmers, young farmers, migrant workers and people learning new tasks and processes. There will be a focus on recognizing hazards, understanding rights and responsibilities under occupational health and safety law, and working safely ─ both general principles and specific hazards.

Safe Livestock Handling

This training program will focus on food safety, safe livestock handling, animal safety, and proper vaccination procedures.

Farm Safety Plans

This program will facilitate motivational and instructional workshops to motivate farmers to develop their farm safety plans. It will provide participants with the Farm Safety Plan workbook, additional farm safety modules, and other farm safety resources. It will also recruit new trainers and provide them with instruction and training materials to help others with their Farm Safety Plans.

Snake, bear and tick safety

To develop safety and management best practice guidelines pertaining to three species of concern to outdoor agricultural workers. These guidelines will be distributed/communicated through the following channels: 1) industry meetings, 2) special training sessions for field advisors and safety committees, 3)industry newsletters, magazines, and websites.

Farm First Aid Training

First Aid on the Farm is a certified training program for participants ages 12 and older and provides a one-day (6.5 hour) overview of first aid, providing theory and hands-on skills, with content geared toward farming families.

Farm Safety Youth Seminars – a training seminar for youth, ages 5 – 11, will provide a 2.5 – 3 hour introduction to farm safety, focusing on awareness, prevention, and response to injuries, utilizing basic first aid skills.

Safety Programs for Ornamental Growers

This program will address the need for safety prevention programs for growers in horticulture. It will develop and deliver a training program customized to the specific needs of this sector and will create awareness of the Ontario Health and Safety Association’s safety requirements. An adult learning curriculum will be developed and training materials and workbooks for the program will be provided.