We hear of traffic incidents involving motor vehicles and agricultural equipment on public roadways every year. Unfortunately, many of these incidents have severe outcomes for motorists and farm equipment operators alike. In fact, according to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting data, traffic collisions made up approximately seven per cent of all agriculture-related fatalities between 2003-12.

Below you will find some tips to help keep everyone safe while sharing the road.

Motorists

• Spring planting and fall harvest time tend to see more agricultural equipment on roadways. However, it’s important to keep an eye out all year long, especially when travelling in rural areas.
• Agricultural equipment travels a lot slower than regular traffic. That means a motor vehicle travelling at the speed limit can approach farm equipment more quickly than expected. Make sure to stay alert and slow down when approaching any farm machinery.
• Leave plenty of space behind farm equipment to allow for potential debris coming from the machinery. Keeping a distance will also help you assess when it is safe to pass the equipment. If you can’t see the operator, they can’t see you — and may not know you’re there.
• We all know how easy it is to get impatient when driving behind a slow-moving vehicle. However, only pass when it is safe to do so and when the operator can see you.
• When passing a piece of farm equipment, always follow the same road rules that apply when passing other motor vehicles, such as never passing on a solid centre line or corner.
• Pay attention to turn signals and any hand signals from the operator.
• Tractors and other farm equipment need plenty of room to make left-hand turns. If the operator veers to the right, it might mean they are about to make a left-hand turn — this is not an indication for the motorist to pass.

Agricultural Equipment Operators

• It’s best practice to use side roads instead of highways whenever possible, given the size and limited speed of farm machinery. Before heading out on the road, take time to plan your route.
• Ensure all loads are secure and your equipment won’t leave debris on roadways or send projectiles toward motorists.
• Make sure your equipment has reflective materials and a slow-moving vehicle sign that are in good condition and visible. Be sure to replace these items as needed. Take care to check that all lights, beacons and turn signals are clean and working properly before operating on any roadway.
• Use signals whenever you turn or change lanes.
• Know the width and height of your equipment and adjust mirrors as needed. This will help ensure safe travel and clearance with potential obstructions such as road signs, overhead lines and bridges.
• If you’ll be transporting oversized loads/equipment or must travel on high-speed roadways, use a pilot vehicle whenever possible. (Note that some provinces have requirements regarding pilot vehicles, while others do not. Check with your provincial highway traffic legislation to verify requirements in your area.)
• Always wear a seatbelt when operating a tractor or other agricultural equipment.
• Keep in mind that anyone operating agricultural machinery on public roadways must possess a valid driver’s licence and comply with traffic laws.

Remember that we all share the same public roadways. And that means we all have a responsibility to help ensure everyone makes it home safely.

–Robert Gobeil for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association

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Spill response procedures must be followed for a spill cleanup. These are the procedures that are developed and practised as part of the ERP.

Depending on the type of chemical and the amount released, the manufacturer and the provincial regulatory agency may need to be contacted to report the spill. The manufacturer’s label and SDS has emergency contact information. These bodies and organizations can provide direction and help. If there are any serious injuries sustained, provincial workplace safety and health authorities and Workers Compensation may also need to be notified.

Once the spill or leak has been cleaned up, the contaminated PPE and spill kit contents need to be appropriately disposed of according to the information found in the ERP. Contaminated items must be placed in a bag that is labelled accordingly and handled with caution.

Site cleanup

Site cleanup should be performed as soon as possible. Timely site cleanup will help ensure the least amount of environmental impact and allow for a safe work environment after the cleanup.

The “Three C’s” are the most important things to remember in the event of a spill or leak. Controlling the spill or leak will minimize the amount of product released. Containing the spill or leak will help to minimize the spread of product into the environment. Cleaning up the spill or leak as soon as possible allows for work to resume in the area in a safe and timely manner.

Please visit the CASA website for more information, including the inflowgraphic at top, which describes each step in responding to a spill on the farm.

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Planning, developing and implementing a spill response will minimize the potential for injury, environmental impact, cleanup and replacement costs.

Develop a plan

The first thing to do is plan, including developing an emergency response plan (ERP), acquiring necessary supplies and developing appropriate safe work procedures (SWPs) for handling and using each kind of chemical.

Developing an emergency response plan includes the following:

• Assessing job tasks
• Identifying hazards and risks
• Planning what to do in case of an emergency

As part of an ERP, create and update a chemical inventory and gather and keep safety data sheets (SDS) current (within three years). An ERP needs to factor in situations that may affect people in the area, such as a fire or other situations that may require evacuation. An ERP template can be found at the CASA website.

Create an inventory list and purchase supplies using the ERP and information found on each chemical’s SDS. The inventory list should include items like proper personal protective equipment (PPE), spill kit and emergency eyewash information. Also found on the SDS is information on proper storage. Following this advice is essential in preventing spills. Keep in mind that the inventory list should be reviewed and supplies restocked regularly. Ensure everyone on the farm knows where to find these supplies and how to use them.

Develop safe work procedures based on job tasks. These procedures outline how to perform job tasks safely from start to finish and include information including required PPE and its proper use. Details on how to develop SWPs can be found as a PDF at the CASA website.

Make use of secondary containments

Secondary containment should be in place whenever possible for all stored chemicals. Secondary containment mitigates the effects of a spill by containing contents to a defined area. Secondary containment also helps make any necessary cleanup easier.

For smaller volumes of chemicals, a drip tray may be all that is needed. For large, bulk storage, a berm system or double-walled containers might be used as secondary containment options. Whenever practical, engineering the risk out of a spill altogether is the preferred method of prevention (e.g. ensuring a fully enclosed system).

Create a preventive maintenance schedule. This schedule will be purposeful and provide the incentive to review and repair equipment, plumbing or secondary containment.

Once these plans have been developed, it is now time to implement them.

Everyone on the farm who handles or uses chemicals needs to be trained in WHMIS 2015/Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), SWPs and ERPs. This training is a legislated duty of the employer in all provinces. It is strongly recommended that SWPs and ERPs are reviewed and practised regularly to ensure proficiency when they are needed.

Adequate supervision ensures that job tasks are being performed safely and SWPs are being followed. The supervisor should lead by example, promote and encourage compliance of SWPs.

Performing routine and regular inspections and preventive maintenance are essential. Following the preventive maintenance schedule, inspect product containers for proper labels and conditions, and look at plumbing, secondary containment or any equipment. Note any defects and take corrective action to prevent a spill or leak.

Facility inspections should also include a general inspection of chemical storage areas. For example, look for hazardous conditions such as leaking containers or unvented storage for propane.

Part 2 of this feature, which will appear in the next issue of Grainews, will take a further look at spill response procedures for a spill cleanup.

Robert Gobeil for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association

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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a considerable increase in PPE use across the board, including on farms. The proper care, use and disposal of PPE are critical to personal safety and health and the safety and health of workers, family members and, even, the general public.

When performing regular farming activities, it’s essential to perform a hazard assessment to identify what type of PPE is needed to protect each task’s risks. During COVID-19, this is no different. What is different is there is an additional layer of protection required based on factors such as the ability to physical distance and the number of people in any given area.

Typical types of PPE used in the agricultural sector during the pandemic are face coverings, medical masks, N95 respirators, respiratory equipment and gloves. Care, use and disposal of PPE are ideally the same during the pandemic as before, but there is more focus on hygiene and prevention of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

COVID-19 hygiene

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the fundamentals of hygiene during the pandemic include the following:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 per cent alcohol,
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue or the bend of your arm,
• Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, and
• Dispose of used tissues in a lined waste container and then wash your hands.

Hygiene must be practised before and after handling any PPE.

PPE care and use

In general, all PPE should be inspected before each use. Things to look for include broken straps, holes and cracks. Defective PPE must be repaired or replaced to be effective. Reusable PPE such as respiratory equipment should be cleaned after use and stored according to manufacturer instructions.

PPE must be properly used to be effective. It’s best to follow the manufacturer’s user instructions.

For example, a face covering or medical mask worn with the nose sticking out is not effective. These must be worn so the nose and mouth are entirely covered, tucked under the chin, and fitted around the bridge of the nose. Many disposable face coverings have a metal strip that helps create a good fit around the nose’s bridge.

Respiratory equipment must be fit tested to the user, and users should be clean shaven to ensure a good seal. It’s essential to use the proper type of filter cartridge to protect the user from the identified hazards.

Latex or nitrile gloves are commonly used as general PPE during the pandemic. (Latex gloves are clear or white and nitrile ones are blue.) Some people have a latex allergy, so keep that in mind when selecting which gloves to purchase.

Remember, do not reuse disposable PPE such as medical masks.

PPE disposal

Proper disposal of PPE will help prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. PPE must be safely removed from the body and placed directly in the garbage. Avoid contact with the inner surface of a mask or face covering. Make sure reusable, cloth, face coverings are laundered regularly.

Contamination often occurs if gloves are removed incorrectly. The proper removal process includes the following:

• Pinch and hold the outside of the glove near the wrist area,
• Peel downward, away from the wrist, turning the glove inside out,
• Pull the glove away until it is removed from the hand and hold the inside-out glove with the gloved hand,
• With your ungloved hand, slide finger(s) under the wrist of the remaining glove, taking care not to touch the outside of the glove,
• Again, peel downwards, away from the wrist, turning the glove inside out,
• Continue to pull the glove down and over the inside-out glove held in your gloved hand, and
• Following this procedure will ensure both gloves are inside out, one glove enveloped inside the other, with no contaminant on bare hands.

These instructions are adapted from ‘how to safely remove disposable gloves’ on the Globus Group website.

Safe care, use and disposal of PPE will help to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus and ensure a productive work environment. For more information, contact the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association or your provincial agricultural safety association.

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The one-call service is free of charge and it only takes a few minutes to submit a utility locate request. Although many underground infrastructures and utilities are found in urban areas, rural areas also have a number of these services.

Privately owned utilities are the responsibility of the customer. (Examples of this include water lines from a private well and power lines to a garage or shed past the meter.) Utility owners do not know the location of these lines. However, the one-call service will be able to refer a private contractor that can help locate these utilities.

Buried utilities can be just beneath the surface and digging prematurely can put you in harm’s way or cause major damage to a utility line. A property owner or contractor who damages a utility may be charged for repairs. As they say… know what’s below.

Some of the typical buried utilities that could be in your work area include the following:

• Electrical lines
• Gas, oil or petroleum pipes
• Communications, fibre optic and cable lines (or conduits)
• Water pipes
• Sewer pipes
• Survey markers

Click before you dig

A utility locate request is made by visiting clickbeforeyoudig.com and following the instructions on the website. Select the province in which your project is located, take note of the “Advance Notice” and “Days Valid” information, then identify if the locate request is for a homeowner or contractor. You will then be directed to your provincial one-call site.

You may need to set up an account with a login and password if you have not used the service before. Follow the instructions to submit your utility locate request. There is also a live chat option and phone numbers available on most sites for any help you may need.

If you receive confirmation that the area is all clear of buried utilities, you can start digging.

If the work area does have buried utilities, you will need to identify the work area before the utility locate personnel come to mark out the location of buried utilities. Your work area needs to be clearly identified and it is recommended to use white spray paint. It usually takes three to five days for utility owners to mark the buried utilities.

Once the utilities are marked out, be sure to respect the marks and follow instructions from the utility owners. You will need to dig by hand within one metre of any buried utility.

You can remove any flags or markers once you have completed all digging in your work area.

Please note that a new locate request will need to be completed for a larger project where you need to dig 30 days after the original locate request and for each new project.

Remember, better safe than sorry. No matter the project and no matter the location, take the time to contact the one-call service. Digging safely will ensure your safety and prevent costly utility repairs and interruption of utility services.

Click Before You Dig phone numbers for the Prairie provinces are 1-800-940-3447 for Manitoba, 1-866-828-4888 for Saskatchewan and 1-800-242-3447 for Alberta.

The phone number for the service in British Columbia, B.C. One Call, is 1-800-474-6886.

Robert Gobeil for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association

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When it comes to tasks that involve heavy lifting, safety footwear with a steel or composite toe should be worn any time there’s a chance of your foot being struck by or pinched between objects. And in situations where your foot could be injured by an object falling on top of it, use safety footwear with metatarsal guards on the tongue.

For jobs that involve electrical work, select footwear that has an electrical insulator (dielectric), which will provide resistance against electric shock. To identify this type of footwear, look for an orange Greek letter omega symbol (which resembles an upside-down horseshoe).

There’s no question that producers work in all kinds of different conditions. When working in wet or muddy conditions, rubber boots are an obvious choice for keeping feet dry. It’s a good idea to clean any mud and debris from your boots at the end of the day in order to maintain grip and avoid tracking debris. You can also prevent slips and falls on wet, oily, snow-covered, or icy surfaces by wearing footwear with an anti-slip outsole to maintain maximum traction. Keep in mind that while overshoe attachments (like cleats or crampons) might be useful for icy conditions, they can be hazardous on dry, hard surfaces.

When working on uneven surfaces, select footwear with a tall upper and laces all the way to the top of the boot, which will help to support your ankle and prevent injury from rolling it.

If you have torn or damaged footwear that you think you could get a couple of extra months out of, you might want to think again. Leaky rubber boots don’t just lead to cold, wet feet; they could potentially expose you to chemicals and other hazardous substances. Rather than take any chances, replace damaged footwear as soon as possible.

Because footwear is such an important part of injury prevention on the farm, these requirements should be listed as mandatory personal protective equipment in the safe work procedures part of your safety management system. Don’t forget to discuss the footwear requirements for specific jobs with workers during orientation.

Always assess the conditions and potential hazards that you’ll be working in and select the right type of footwear for the job. Wearing the proper footwear will help ensure your safety, which means less risk of injury and more productive work.

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While many farm operations are accustomed to regular visitors, it’s in a farm’s best interest to provide these visitors with a basic orientation when they first enter the property. Regardless of whether the people visiting are suppliers and contractors, or friends and family members, producers are responsible for their safety.

The good news is that developing a visitor orientation doesn’t have to be a difficult task.

Start by assessing and documenting any safety risks before visitors come to your farm. Are there areas that are off limits (such as bins, crop protection storage areas or lagoons)? Are there areas of your farm that are fine for adults to visit, but not for children? Are there areas on the farm that are accessible to contractors and suppliers but not friends and family? These are all great questions to think about before visitors set foot on the property.

Another point to consider is any limitations a visitor might have. Walking through grassy areas with ant mounds or gopher holes might not seem too risky, however, falls, especially for older adults, can lead to serious injuries and other complications. Other limitations might include lack of training or awareness on the operation of farm machinery or equipment. Keep that in mind before allowing any visitor to perform farming tasks.

It’s also good to consider personal protective equipment. Depending on the safety risks you’ve identified, any necessary personal protective equipment should be provided during the orientation (and if you’ve taken the proactive step of asking visitors to bring their own equipment, then you’re already ahead of the game). It’s also a good idea to lead a walkthrough of certain areas so that visitors get a visual understanding of where they can and cannot go, as well as an awareness of the safety risks. Remember to lead by example during the orientation and wear the appropriate personal protective equipment.

While some of these farm hazards may seem obvious to those who are around them every day, it’s important not to assume that other people will already be aware of the associated risks. Even if signage is in place on the property to identify any hazards, make sure to explain the risks during the orientation. Take time also to highlight the key points of your property’s Emergency Response Plan, like where the designated meeting (muster) point is and who to call in the event of an emergency.

Once the orientation is complete, make sure it’s documented and signed off by both the visitor and person providing the training.

Even though creating and implementing a visitor orientation takes a bit of work, it’s well worth the effort in order to protect the well-being of every person who visits. And that’s an important priority for all Canadian producers.

This safety advice article is a part of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week. Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW) is an annual campaign held the third week of March of each year. In 2019, Safe & Strong Farms: Build an AgSafe Canada, takes place March 10 to 16. CASW is presented by Farm Credit Canada.

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A new season is an ideal time to do a thorough check of equipment and processes. If you feel you’re running short of time, consider this: time is a resource we seem to have plenty of when times are slow, and then becomes invaluable as work demands increase. Being proactive checking equipment and processes before planting is essential. Taking the time to implement pre-season checklists will pay off in the end by helping reduce the chance of breakdowns and downtime during one of the very busiest parts of the year. (As an added bonus, using checklists as a part of your safety management system shows your farm does its due diligence.)

There are plenty of checklist templates available or they can be created from scratch. The choice is yours. (Check out the CASA website for a free FarmSafe Plan – including checklists.)

When working with a checklist, begin by asking yourself questions about various equipment and processes. This will give you the tools to identify problems and gives you the opportunity to develop corrective actions to address any issues. Don’t rush and try to fix everything all at once. Prioritize items based on the chance of occurrence and potential severity if a breakdown occurred.

An operational checklist should also include placing orders for essential supplies, such as seed, crop protection products, or feed. Since these items often take time to arrive, ordering them in advance means they are readily available when needed. Another thing to consider on your checklist is purchasing insurance (home/property, crop, liability, etc.) to protect your operation should an unfortunate and unforeseen event occur. And don’t forget to inspect your fields and pastures for standing water and drainage once the last of the snow has finally melted.

This is also a good time to make sure all of your workers are up to date with training, as well as reminding them about your Emergency Response Plan. (If you don’t already have an Emergency Response Plan, now’s the time to develop one.)

When it comes to tools and equipment, consider stocking up on parts that often need replacing (including items like lights and reflective markings). Remember that some items should be maintained based on the hours of use, so there’s nothing wrong with performing this maintenance ahead of schedule to avoid breakdowns and unexpected repairs when the workload increases. And while you’re doing maintenance, don’t overlook your safety equipment. Every checklist should include safety equipment inspections to ensure these items are accessible and working properly if they are needed. This includes fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and eyewash stations, as well as personal protective equipment.

On top of checking your equipment and processes, a facility inspection should also be implemented as part of your safety management system. While this type of assessment needs to be done at regular intervals throughout the year, it’s worthwhile to begin the process before the start of the season.

Time is our most valuable resource. That’s why taking care to prepare early is essential to having a productive and successful season. Incorporating pre-season checklists will help prevent downtime and help ensure your operation runs smoothly throughout the busy months ahead.

Robert Gobeil for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.

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