bill c-6

[blackpowder]

Had a scare with an employee myself this spring. Looking forward to some kind of coverage. But unless you've been in supervisory in other industry you might not realize the dense fog of shit rolling in.
And Hutterite children will still occasionally, tragically, have accidents.

[northfarmer]

as pointed out at the town hall yesterday on the bill, and I wish I could recall the specific numbers, far greater number of children died under the direct care of the provincial government than in on farm tragedies. To use the tragic deaths of young people as a political wedge is appalling. No one cares more for the safety of our farm children than the farmer parents of these children. Statistics bear out the fact that such moves will not lower injury rates in jurisdictions where they have been implemented.

[Braveheart]

dmlfarmer, have you ever supported actual farmers or are you just a schill for whatever leftist, bullshit government there is? Sheesh.

[dmlfarmer]

Braveheart, do I want this - absolutely not. am not supportive of it but not so narrow focused as to see why it is happening. And some form of regulation would have come in under a right wing government as well with the accidents and deaths that have occurred in Alberta in the last few years.

[Braveheart]

Governments sometimes live in their caucus bubble. Too often these days they are reactionary and create the nanny state without trying to fully understand the people, culture, history and the entire industry. This is the case with Bill c-6.

[cottonpicken]

And then comes unionized labour?

[BTO_farmalll]

And Then Comes The Auction Sale,,,,,

[dmlfarmer]

Again, not for Bill C-6. But if all the fear mongering that is going on here is true, how come there is still agriculture in all the other provinces. After all, Alberta is the only province in Canada that exempts farmers and farm workers from OH&S! Why will agriculture fail in Alberta under OH&S when it survived OH&S in every other province?

Instead of using this bill as a soap box to attack Notley and the NDP, farmers should be accepting that this change was inevitable (3 years ago the PCs promised similar legislation) and work to ensure government understands the differences within our industry and even between farms which make strict regulation impossible. But it can be a basis for increased safety training and for investigating accidents to prevent future deaths and injuries.

[Oliver88]

Dml- There are not regulations for Saskatchewan farms.

I'm not sure about Manitoba, it doesn't sound like they have OHS officers visiting their farms either?

[dmlfarmer]

B.S. Oliver88: There are no specific regulations for farmers in Saskatchewan but Saskatchewan farmers ARE NOT EXEMPT from Saskatchewan OH&S legislation. From the Saskatchewan farm safety manual 2010:

"The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (OHS Act) and Regulations (1996) apply to all workplaces, including farms." "A self-employed person, including a farmer who does not employ others, has the same responsibilities under the OHS Act
as both an employer and worker combined. In short, they must give themselves and expect from themselves the same standards of health and safety, as is given to and expected from any other worker or employer."

From Saskatchewan OH&S
"Appendix A: Table 7 of The Occupational Health and Safety
Regulations, 1996
[Subsections 22(2) and 45(1)]
Employers at the prescribed places of employment, listed in Table 7, are required to:
• establish and maintain an Occupational Health & Safety Program; and
• designate a worker occupational health and safety representative if they employ 5-9
workers and engage in activities that constitute high hazard work.
Prescribed Places of Employment
1. Types of places of employment:
a) hospitals, nursing homes and home care;
b) metal foundries and mills; and
c) mines.
2. Places of employment at which the following types of work are performed:
a) aerial crop spraying, operation of helicopters, water bombing;
b) auto-body and automotive paint repairing, bumper electroplating, auto rust proofing,
auto glass installation, auto vinyl roofing, fibre glassing boats and autos;
c) building construction;
d) camp catering;
e) farming and ranching;"

ALBERTA is the only province which has exempted farmers and farm workers from OH&S!

OH&S can be oppressive or it can be so passive that people like you do not even know you are under OH&S legislation. The difference is in the fine print and that is what Alberta farmers should be working on - not trying to prevent losing the exemption because that is not a win-able war.