What is the Farm Safety Program and how does it benefit Manitoba farmers?
KAP’s Farm Safety Program (FSP) exists to help farmers reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on Manitoba farms. Farms have different levels of maturity when it comes to managing workplace safety, and the FSP is there to help all farms move along the farm safety continuum (as shown in the graphic above) without judgment. The first step is to help farmers become aware of the Workplace Safety and Health legislation and how it applies to farms in the province. The second step is to work directly with farmers to help them manage workplace safety at the farm level.
Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) legislation has applied to all farms in the province since 1977. The legislation is laid out in the WSH Act & Regulations. The legislation is enforced by Manitoba WSH enforcement officers, who have the legal right to inspect the physical conditions and safety procedures in place on farms (and all other workplaces) at any time.
While all farmers agree that working safely is important for their business, family members and staff, few have taken steps to control the hazards that exist and effectively manage the risks. Farmers across benefit from the FSP because they have a trusted and reputable source of farm safety information and support services to help them get started in managing workplace safety and health.
Funding provided through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) and Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) enables the FSP to provides safety services and training for all Manitoba farmers. Safety training is delivered at a low cost and is specifically designed for the unique needs of the agriculture industry. The services provided by KAP’s farm safety specialist are free, confidential and do not obligate a producer to take any recommended action.
Ways that KAP’s farm safety specialist can help producers:
- Answer producers’ safety questions by phone or by email
- Meet with producers at their farms to discuss in more depth how the safety legislation specifically applies to their operation and what requirements that entails
- Do a farm “walkabout” with producers to help them identify physical conditions that are non-compliant with safety legislation and/or are unsafe, and help them identify potential corrective actions and improvements.
- Assist producers in how to achieve compliance with legal Improvement Orders that they were given by a WSH Officer as a result of a formal inspection.
- Provide producers with information regarding mandatory safety documentation and records that must be compiled in accordance with Workplace Safety legislation. This can include provision of examples and templates and training in how to establish these systems.
- Assist producers who need to appoint one of their employees as a Safety Representative (farms where 5 or more persons in total work). This can include helping producers understand these requirements, how to elect the Safety Representative, and provision of training for this newly appointed person to understand their responsibilities.
- Work with commodity, or other, groups of producers who want to work together on developing their safety systems.
For more information visit: https://www.manitobafarmsafety.ca/
For questions or to get started, contact:
Funding support provided by:
