Prevent Grain Entrapment

[TOM4CWB]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prairie Canola Grower Organizations Join Forces With CASA to Prevent Grain Entrapment
Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) media release

Winnipeg, MB December 17, 2015: The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is pleased to announce partnerships with Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA), Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC) and SaskCanola to help build and operate a mobile grain entrapment demonstration unit in the three Prairie Provinces.

“We are incredibly grateful to have these three canola producer organizations as our founding partners of this new program,” says Marcel Hacault, Executive Director of CASA. “This grassroots support means that we have a solid start to this new and vital program.”

CASA plans to build and operate three units throughout Canada. “The next step is to secure funding to build enough units to serve all of Canada’s agricultural community,” says Hacault. “Each of these units would serve communities at fairs and tradeshows, train first responders in grain rescue techniques and be used by commercial grain farmers for training agricultural workers.”

MCGA, ACPC and SaskCanola have committed to make this program a reality. Each organization has agreed to contribute $30,000 over three years.

“Projects like the mobile grain entrapment demonstration unit are important to our organization and our industry,” says Jack Froese of MCGA. “They provide opportunities for agricultural workers, farmers and farm families across the prairies to learn about the importance of grain safety and spread awareness of the dangers of grain entrapment.”

Organizations like the three canola producer groups understand the importance of raising awareness and providing training to prevent farm injuries and fatalities. “It is imperative that farm safety remain a top priority for our industry,” says Stuart Holmen of ACPC. “We all feel strongly that educational opportunities are the most effective way to improve safety for farm families and their employees.”

CASA is looking for more farm safety champions to help make this program a reality. “The more organizations get involved and support farm safety initiatives, the more we are able to raise awareness for all farmers and farm families to mitigate risks they encounter on a daily basis,” says Dale Leftwich of SaskCanola.

For more information on the mobile grain entrapment demonstration unit program, please contact CASA at 877-452-2272 or at info@casa-acsa.ca.

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and agricultural workers. CASA is funded in part by Growing Forward 2, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative and receives additional support from the agricultural and corporate sectors. For more information, visit www.casa-acsa.ca, find us on Facebook or LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter @planfarmsafety.

For more information contact:
Robin Anderson
Communications Officer
CASA/ACSA
877-452-2272
randerson@casa-acsa.ca

[TOM4CWB]

And then there was OHS to solve our safety problems... on the farm...

[tweety]

Well it is a bit of the Darwin principle, so what ya gonna do!

[ajl]

Usually grain entrapment occurs when there is material going blocking the sump on bins. Need a way of clearing the blockage from outside the bin. Will be a bigger problem as more center unload bins are in service.

[sumdumguy]

You don't go in the bin, ever!