10 Agronomy Keep vigilant SO EVERYONE COMES HOME SAFE Barb Keith WITH GRAIN HARVEST UNDERWAY ACROSS ONTARIO, NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO REMIND FARMERS TO THINK ABOUT SAFETY PRACTICES. Ryan Dick, health and safety consultant at Workplace Safety and Prevention Service (WSPS), and Andreas Jampen, president of the Dundas Farm Safety Association (DFSA), shared their tips to ensure fellow farmers, their families, and their employees stay safe at a very hectic time. Dick says to “take the time now, ahead of harvest, to create a plan for the season. Don’t take risks.” SAFETY STARTS WITH TRAINING Supervisors need proper health and safety training and be aware of their responsibilities in that role and the hazards staff may encounter. They can, and have been, found criminally responsible when accidents have occurred. Staff should have appropriate training for their duties and the type of equipment used; training courses are available in-person and online. BINS AND SILOS When considering safety around grain bins and silos, Dick says to treat them like confined spaces and follow the Confined Space Guidelines set out by the Ministry of Labour’s website. He recommends farmers: • Develop an emergency plan • Use a tie-off harness • Wear proper personal protective equipment, including respiratory and hearing protection • Work in pairs • Check for silo gas • Be aware of local, accessible entrapment cages (Jampen says he knows of at least four elevators in his area that have them on-site); encourage your local fire department to take training for safe entrapment rescues AUGERS • Do not step over them; walk around the equipment • Leave all guards in place • Wear tight-fitting clothes FIRE RISKS Combine and baler fires are not uncommon, so an appropriately sized fire extinguisher should be on board; the tank pressure and the hose should be checked regularly. Having a piece of tillage equipment hooked up and ready to use during harvest can help slow down or stop the spread of fire in a field by turning under the dry crop and creating a barrier for the fire. KEEP CONNECTED Cell phones or smartphones can be lifesaving on the farm. • Ensure everyone is aware of important phone numbers • Keep 911 numbers for all properties (owned, rented, and custom work) and phone numbers in the cab of all equipment • The ‘what3words’ app can help first responders find you in an emergency situation If you are working in fields that don’t have a 911 number, speak to your municipality about Farm 911: The Emily Project. This project was created to encourage municipalities to provide 911 signs for entrances to vacant rural properties. ROAD SAFETY When asked what he sees as one of the biggest safety issues at harvest time, Jampen says it’s road safety. With farms more spread out and increasing populations in rural areas, the reality is farmers are spending more time than ever sharing the road with other drivers. Jampen and Dick shared their road safety considerations: • Follow the Highway Traffic Act, including stop signs, traffic lights, turning, distracted, careless and impaired driving, etc. • Ensure all equipment has proper lighting and use them! Magnetic flashing lights are available for use on towed equipment • Ensure proper safety equipment is installed and used (i.e. safety chains, brakes) • Keep windows clean • Attach a slow-moving vehicle sign to all equipment that has a maximum speed of 40 kilometres/hour
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