bill c-6

[stonepicker]

What tom says above makes sense, if alta treats it like sask. then all is well. Is mb. like sask in this regard? I don't know anything about it.

[blackpowder]

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.

Agreed. Question. Farm operations large enough to unionize will just hire Mexicans for less?

[TOM4CWB]

DML,

Interesting that you know more than folks... including those who run OHS in Alberta...

Show me the actual regulations that are written for OHS in Sask... that spell out protocol and the fines for farm employers who fail to carry out those SaskOHS regulations. You have not showed them here. MB OHS does have regulations and enforcement protocols.

Hundreds of people are killed on our highways... perhaps hindsight prevention systems would stop these as well.
Show me where your time machine is!

[dmlfarmer]

Tom: I already provided the actual regulations that state farms and ranches fall under OHS jurisdiction. I will not repeat what I wrote above, but if you want to confirm it go to http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/English/Regulations/Regulations/O1-1R1.pdf which is the complete regs and read Table 7 yourself. It is on page 260.

As far as fines, there are no fines listed in the regulations for any transgression in any occupation. Nor are there specific regulations for every occupation; just additional protections for some - like oil and gas and logging.

To put this in perspective, you bring up highway accidents. I challenge you to show me where in the traffic laws says that you must must drive the posted speed limit in a 2012 F 150. The speed limit pertains to all vehicles and it is not necessary to list each and every vehicle for the law to be enforced. The OH&S regs lists farms and ranches as falling under its jurisdiction so it is not necessary to list every possible accident or safety concern on a farm as most are already covered in the general regulations.

[TOM4CWB]

DML,

Have you seen the OHS 'Handbook' that is 2 inches thick... with all the procedures for industry and consequences for not following this 'Bible' of Safety?

As I said[every time]... Farms do fall under OHS in Sask. If someone complained about some obviously unsafe situation... clearly they could refuse to take an order from an employer... and not do as instructed. Don't need OHS legislation for this choice.

IF that bad an employer relationship with their workers... I would quit. As can they. You refuse to get the point. Fine.

Over and Out.

[dmlfarmer]

Tom's last post is the reason c-6 is being shoved down Alberta farmer's throats. It is easy for someone who is likely worth millions to say if you feel what the employer is asking you to do is unsafe, then quit. Not so easy if you are a salaried employee, possibly living paycheque to paycheque and likely having a family to support in a rural area with limited employment opportunties.

True, you do not need OH&S to quit. But without OH&S protection, an employee simply cannot tell the employer he is not going to do something because it is unsafe if he wants to keep the job.

The employer "my way or the highway" is why OH&S came in the first time. The longer farm owners continue to believe that the only rights employees should have is to quit, the higher the demands for employee protection from both employees and government.

If all farmers treated employees well, paid them well, and did all they could to ensure their safety on farms, c-6 would not have been introduced. But we all know of farmers who are poor employers, and the accident and death rate show there is a problem in our industry.

[TOM4CWB]

DML,

"But we all know of farmers who are poor employers, and the accident and death rate show there is a problem in our industry."

I call Bull. Alberta has a lower death rate than BC that has mandatory OHS/WCB. Where do you live and farm that you can make those claims! Workers around here are the most important part of modern grainfarms with $Millions in equipment that need skilled people to run them! The last thing we want is an injured member of our family or crew. Your attitude is revolting.

[SASKFARMER3]

Tom quit sticking up for this woman. My god did you turn NDP.
Really she is totally insane.
I told you guys How the NDP works. It is about destroying every one who works.
Once they get bred into the system and get one group retired from jobs and God help you if they get another election under their belt. Your goose is cooked.
They don't give a shit about farmers or Oil patch jobs that pay good. They want useless Civil servants to monitor and get paid to study do basically jack shit and tell every one else what to do.
All our rats are living in Alberta now.
GOD HELP YOU GUYS!

[TOM4CWB]

SF3

We must live with Premier Notley and people like DML... not easy but we will get through this... Alberta Farmers are a resilient and resourceful group of folks... even if they did NOT vote in ND MLA's!

This OHS/WCB farm safety thing is like:

If all Alberta Auto drivers were required to switch to an ICBC style insurance provider... and not allowing any other private insurance carriers to insure our autos... to reduce auto insurance costs in Alberta.

We all know how many highway accidents that would prevent... and how good our insurance would be with a gov. only insurance providing the coverage.

This is exactly what many Alberta Farm families are being hit with DML... at Christmas... to be implemented Jan 1 2016.

Not Fair,
Not Right,
No Choice...

And Alberta farmers did not vote in Premier Notley... so this is as undemocratic as it gets!

Hope Premier Notley thinks this through before passing this Bill 6 Legislation!

[dmlfarmer]

Tom:
Exactly what are you calling "Bull" on me for?

Do you not believe there is a problem with deaths (and injuries) in agriculture? (note: nowhere in the quote you used from me to I specify Alberta!)

Agriculture is the 3rd most hazardous industry in Canada (http://www.abfarmsafety.com/resources/statistics.htm)

Between 1990 and 2008 there were 1975 agriculture deaths in Canada (http://www.cair-sbac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/CAIR-booklet-blue-ENFin.pdf)

Between 1990 and 2008 there were 355 fatalities on Alberta farms which is 10/100,000 well above most other industries.(http://injurypreventioncentre.ca/documents/data/Alberta_CAISP_Deaths1990-2009_FINAL.pdf)

The Alberta Medical examiner's office reported 25 farm fatalities in 2014 and an average of 18.38 deaths per year between 1997 and 2014. (http://www.abfarmsafety.com/resources/statistics.htm)

Tell me Tom: How many farm deaths are okay with you?

You call bull on me but do not back up your call with any facts!

Earlier you tried to insult me by saying " Interesting that you know more than folks... including those who run OHS in Alberta... and asking where my time machine was" yet you are the one consulting with government and claiming to speak for farmers.

And you say my attitude is revolting...HA HA HA!

[dmlfarmer]

Oh, BTW Tom, while Alberta had 25 farm deaths in 2014, BC had 5!

[farmaholic]

I don't know if that is a valid comparison. If you're talking Ag sector deaths, Alberta's Ag sector is how many times bigger than B.C.'s? It turns into an odds thing. Although that doesn't justify jack shit. One is too many!!