Agriculture is an industry dominated by the need for movement – movement of machinery and vehicles, movement of workers, movement of grain, crops and foodstuffs. In this work environment, movement can feed risk, as it did in 2015, when a worker was fatally crushed when workers were attempting to lower a concrete block onto a pad, or in 2020, when another worker was fatally struck by a tractor. When the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) focused their attention on safe material handling in Ontario’s agriculture sector last year, the goal was to help prevent incidents like the ones mentioned above. Inspectors were mainly looking at three things: how agriculture workers move things manually, how they use equipment to move things, and how things are stored. “Essentially, Ministry inspectors were looking at the transportation of objects and material to ensure that it is being done safely,” says Kristin Hoffman, Health and Safety Consultant with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS). “When we talk about transporting material, we’re talking about everything from how workers push or lift grain bins, to how they use a frontend loader to move concrete blocks, to how they stack bags of fertilizer for storage,” she explains. Manual versus Mechanical Each day farm workers manually push, pull, lift, and carry things of all shapes and sizes to keep the operation running. Over time, they often suffer from injuries to their muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments (e.g., back or shoulder injuries). Collectively, these types of injuries are called musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). If not addressed, they can lead to long-term pain and reduced mobility that can significantly impact quality of life. And when you factor in pain management, the risk of opioid addiction rises (https://bit.ly/IWHStudy). Equipment such as forklifts, skid steers, and tractors, can reduce the risk of injuries to muscles and joints by eliminating the manual lifting, pushing, pulling, etc. “Using mechanical equipment to move material is a great way to eliminate the strain on your body and reduce the risk of developing an MSD, but it can also lead to critical injuries or fatalities if the proper training and procedures are not in place,” warns Kristin. Conveyors, augers, and cranes are also examples of mechanical equipment commonly found on grain farms. There’s no doubt that they help to increase productivity, reduce the risk of injury from repetitive movements, and make it easier to get work done. However, they also introduce new hazards to the workplace. If a farm worker gets caught in an auger, pulled into a conveyor, or run over by a tractor, it will likely result in a critical injury or fatality. “The hazards associated with mechanical equipment often lead to more severe injuries,” says Kristin. “However, effective training, planning, and documented procedures can mitigate the risk.” Get Started with these Five Tips Farm owners and operators are required by law to inform workers of the hazards they will face on the job. They are also required to take every reasonable precaution to protect their workers. Kristin offers these tips to help you protect yourself, your family, and your workers from serious injury. Start with a hazard assessment. Go through each task and think about the hazards associated with each step. Then identify what you will do to minimize the risk. For example, if you are working with a conveyor, locate the pinch points and ensure guards are in place. Use this information to create a safe work procedure. Provide training. Everyone who works with mechanical farm equipment needs to be trained on how to safely operate it. They also need to understand the hazards associated with it. Once you have an established a safe work procedure, train workers. Then, observe them using the equipment to ensure they understand how to do it safely. “Even those who may not operate a forklift or a tractor should have a clear understanding of the hazards and know where the operator’s blind spots are,” says Kristin. Always use machine guards. Doing so will help to prevent workers from getting caught in pinch points, which can lead to serious injuries. Training should include which guards are for which equipment, how to use them, and how to recognize when they are not properly installed. Do not overload equipment. When filling bins or carts, keep the weight manageable to avoid strain when pushing or pulling. When using racking or other storage systems, make sure to follow capacity guidelines to avoid collapsing racks. Stretch, rotate jobs and adjust the work area. Teach farm workers how to prevent muscle and joint injuries by stretching regularly and lifting properly. Break up repetitive jobs by rotating tasks to avoid straining a specific part of the body (e.g., back, knees). Design the work area to minimize bending, reaching, crouching, etc. Check out the Agriculture Health and Safety Centre (wsps.news/AgSafetyCentre) for videos, resources, and to connect with a WSPS health and safety expert. Call Customer Care to speak with a consultant. 1 877 494 WSPS (9777) customercare@wsps.ca Moving Material Safely: ARE YOUR WORKERS AT RISK? 1 2 3 4 5
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