AB OH&S... WCB... NDP new rules

[TOM4CWB]

This isn't about passing cost along... it is about the risk of human error.

'Experts' are wrong each day... including ND policy advisors.

Where is our 'safety net' for our grandchildren's future?

As those in Greece how it has worked out for their young people. Pure recipe for disaster.

Yet we are about to elect Tom Mulcair... and it looks at first glance that the vast majority on Agriville like that Idea... or voting for Justin...
The thinking is...anyone but PM Harper.
WOW.
Give folks a sharp knife... and they will stab their next generations in the back... without a care in the world about the consequences.???

We deserve the gov. we elect... but our grandchildren will pay the price. And 1 or 2C will be the least of their problems... the green movement will have a computer chip running everything... then watch an EMP take out Human life on this planet... without a bullet or building destroyed. ISIS must be grinning... as are the Iranians and N Koreans.

[charliep]

I have been trying to stay off Agriville but I have to ask the people who use WCB today whether the mechanics/processes around taking on this insurance are really that difficult/time consuming/expensive.

To me this comes down to risk management and your commitment to employees to provide a safe work environment where they are well instructed/in a dangerous work environment have the best chance to return home to their families every night. If an accident does happen, you as a manager/owner of a business are able to provide for their individual/family needs.

I realize the conversation is about this insurance being compulsory but the background is that you as business have a responsibility to employees including family members. That comes down to risk management practices.

[nicolaas]

It costs about 2.7-2.8% extra in wages. It is cheap insurance. Not a big deal unless you are a under the table type guy or an exceptional skinflint. The only way around this is to have the worker direct contract to you, but you will pay for it anyways i'm sure with increase in wage.

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie,

I have no problem today with the cost or regulations around WCB we buy for our people and family on this farm.

My strong advice is that private insurance be allowed... as well as the WCB coverage... which is being used well by many farms today.

Competition is good. Private Insurance alongside Public WCB is good. Neither one gets too far out of line.

Give WCB a monopoly... and they can easily become the CWB instead with a single desk. I truly hope we will not make this mistake.

When I brought this up to the political powers that be... I was told private insurance is sometimes no good... because it can be litigated in court... and delay payments.

My response is: there are a good number of WCB covered folks denied WCB benefits... that are stuck without income and fair compensation when injured

We have a good system today WHY CHANGE IT!!!

JUST BECAUSE THE ND'S Can... not because there is a big problem~!!!

[charliep]

I will leave the discussion about alternatives alone but I would ask the question whose responsibility is it to look after an injured employee while they are recuperating or a catastrophic event with lifetime issues? If the answer is society/the taxpayer, should not employers be expected to pay a base level of insurance of some sort?

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie,

"Competition is good. Private Insurance alongside Public WCB is good"

It must be asked... are workers somewhat responsible to work safe... and refuse to do unsafe jobs that will injure themselves?

The whole Safety system is predicated upon the judgement that employers can see that workers are competent and will make safe work decisions. Otherwise employers are not to allow any worker to do a job without skills are not up to standards of good competency.

Where do mistakes and lapses in judgement enter in? 99 percent of the time I would say!

An Employer then must ask the worker... "Are you sure you are comfortable and capable of doing this job safely? If the worker answers yes... then they should be responsible as well... is it 50-50?

What were you thinking Charlie?

[charliep]

I have a friend who is a millwright. Everyday starts with a safety meeting. Failing to do any of the required safety protocols is immediate grounds for being dismissal - no questions asked or excuses. Any accident is fully covered regardless of blame. If every farmers follows this, I have no concern.

So you have a friend/relative that falls off a bin. The ladder was not secured - don't know who didn't do the job or where liability lies. Now a paraplegic. Earned $100,000 a year a trade to support a wife and 3 kids under 12.

When the smoke clears, whose responsibility to look after this family? How much of this burden will society take on?

[TOM4CWB]

Soooo,

Here is the report we are given;

"A 62-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy died Monday while emptying a grain hopper near Burstall in southeast Saskatchewan.

The victims were related to each other, but their names will not be released, RCMP spokeswoman Mandy Maier said.

They are believed to have been inside a dual hopper semi grain trailer when they died, she said."

The 16 year old person is watching grain being augered away into storage bin. The 16 year old person drops cell phone in hopper being emptied, and dives in after it screaming when realizes sinking head first into centre of emptying hopper trailer.
The 62 year old hears the scream... and gets up into the trailer being emptied just in time to see the bottom half of the 16 year old person sticking out of grain being augured to storage bin. 62 year old gets sucked in as well... and both die.

Who is at fault... what was the proper rescue procedure.

1. 62 year needed to cut the grain flow/stop auger and close the hopper immediately. Then rescue 16 year old person.

2. OH&S needs to release the circumstances of what happened in this SK farm accident immediately... so we can mitigate and plan for rescue if it happens to one of our family..

3. Put a short teather on your cell phone... around your wrist...so you won't lose it if it falls out of your hands.

[farmaholic]

This is a tragedy. Over a stupid cell phone. A neighbor of mine lost his first child In the same type of accident many years ago.

I sometimes wonder if the people around me get tired of the harping about safety. Don't take any unnecessary risks.

Work safe and smart so you can play hard.

The Indusrty won't miss you but your family sure will. Take care out there everyone!!!

[TOM4CWB]

Farma,

My senerio above; is a guess... but a good one to think through... which we were taught at the AB AG Safety Training seminars in Jan/Feb of this year.

At these Farm Safety training sessions; We farmers we were asked to think through possible risk scenarios...make procedures and mitigation work plans to reduce risk of the particular situation being examined our farm Safety Plan.

Here is a sample farm safety plan list of equipment; and of work situations to be in a safety manual specific and individualized to each farm operation for best mitigation of risk:

Farm Safe Resources‏

Generic Inspection Checklists

PPE

Tractor

Combine

Gravity Flow, Auger and Forage Wagons

Portable augers

Riding lawn mowers

Skid Steer loaders

Non-self-propelled equipment

Self-propelled equipment

Swine and Poultry Structures

Dairy and Beef Structures

Storage Structures

Machine Shop, Repair Area

Hand and Power Tools

Chemical Storage

Outdoor Working Environment



Integrated safety Standard Operating Procedures (isSOP’s)*

Changing Sanitizer Barrels

Disinfectant use

Handling chemicals

Using portable grain augers

Artificial insemination of cattle

Air seeder operation

Bin checking

Chemical storage

Cleaning equipment with a pressure washer

Cleaning hopper bins

Combining

Connecting NH3 Nurse Tank

Front-end loader operation

Fueling combine

Gathering eggs

Grinding barley feed

Manuring poultry barn

Operating tractor with implement on public roadway

Removing dual wheels

Shop drill press operation

Tractor maintenance

Tractor operation

Transporting agricultural chemicals

Unloading tandem grain truck

Welding.

Templates can be found... that are in use now in farm safety plans in other provinces more advanced.

It is a great help to talk through these situations with workers and management... to find missing links in a farm safety plan... and be sure everyone has clearly understood risks with each situation.

Emergency Plans need to clearly identify procedures and people responsible in the case of serious and fatal accidents... to be sure best management practices are in place to minimize personal injury and public and private property damage.

[TOM4CWB]

Chat TV

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 02, 2015 -
The town of Burstall Saskatchewan is reeling after a teenage boy and his grandfather were killed in a farming accident on Monday.

62 year old Dennis Becker and his grandson Layne Langridge died while unloading a grain trailer near the Alberta – Saskatchewan border.

Shelly Fauth is a friend of the family and says there are few words to describe how the community is coping with the tragedy. Fauth says, “absolutely everybody in the community is devastated. I just can’t believe that this little boy and his grandfather are gone.”

It happened about 16 kilometers east of Burstall. Police confirm Layne was sitting on the top ledge of a grain trailer when he fell into the hopper that was full of wheat. Grandfather Dennis jumped in and tried to save the boy. Layne’s dad was also there and grabbed Dennis, but lost his grip. The pair suffocated.

Fauth says, “it’s a horrible, horrible thing. I don’t even know how to say how I feel, empty. It’s just a disaster.”

Gary Huber was a close friend with Dennis and says he was a great man who will be missed. Huber says, “I was crying when I heard, I could hardly talk.”

Tuesday would have been Layne’s first day at Fox Valley High School. Instead counselors have been called in to provide support to students at the school as well for students in Burstall and Leader.

The family has asked for privacy. Residents say they want to help in any way possible, but they also say it’s just too soon in the grieving process to decide exactly what that help will look like.

As as how to start dealing with this tragedy, grief counselors will be brought in for the entire town starting this weekend."

What needed to happen?
First responder needed to stop grain flow to auger by closing trailer Hopper gate.

[tipsy]

One day my sons and I went for A work place safety meeting. They were about 13-15 and it was about the end of Mar-or early April just after they had finished hockey season. I was going to shovel out a bin and was bemoaning how if I had some help it would be a easier and faster. As we know, kids are always looking for an angle for easy monies, so they were gun-ho to give a hand.
Good I thought time for first safety lesson. I asked junior #1 too bring the broken hockey stick by the shop alone with a shovel, what for he asked, you'll see. When we were set up and going I thru a $5.00 bill along wifter about 3 seconds of grinding and chewing and they eyes bulging open, I asked the boys how their foot or arm would fair in the end of the auger. Never ever reach or grab
for something entering an auger. Lesson learned, but if my son or grandson was in trouble I would try and do what ever an old man can do to save a family member, work place safety regulations or not!!!
Lets all have a safe non regulated unioniz
harvest..