Farm Safety: Plan to breathe easier!

OTTAWA --– Think ahead and plan to avoid respiratory hazards on farms. That is the key message in support of this year’s farm safety theme. And farmers across the country can pick up free respirators to make it happen.
 
“Plan • Farm • Safety” is the Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign theme, and each aspect of the theme will be promoted over the next three years. This year the campaign will promote "Plan" with safety walkabouts and planning for safety. In the second year, the focus will be on "Farm" including implementation, documentation and training. In the third year, emphasis will be on "Safety" including assessment, improvement and further development of safety systems. The yearlong campaign was launched last March with Canadian Agricultural Safety Week.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) has partnered with 3M Canada, Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) to offer free N95 particulate respirators (3M style 9211) to farms, agri-businesses and organizations across Canada.

The respirators are being distributed via leading provincial agricultural and farm safety organizations. For more information contact Glen Blahey at 204-261-4895 or email gblahey@casa-acsa.ca .

“There are all kinds of dusts, moulds and air-borne particulates on farms, so respiratory protection is very important,” explains Marcel Hacault, executive director of CASA. “The best way to protect your lungs is to plan ahead for respiratory protection – and that means keeping respirators on hand, and knowing how to fit and use them properly.”

Grain dust, moulds, pollen, animal dander, soil dust, and welding fumes are just a few of many farm-related respiratory hazards. Exposure can cause immediate and long-term respiratory illnesses such as farmers’ lung, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and other irreversible, incurable ailments.

“It is up to each producer to take responsibility for the safety of ourselves, our workers, and anyone else who comes onto our farms,” says Ron Bonnett, CFA President. “This starts with ensuring the access, fitting and training in the use of personal protective equipment such as respirators. Good safety is good business.”

“At 3M, we are always striving to ensure that our products offer NIOSH-approved protection with the highest degree of comfort for end-users,” says Julie Peters of 3M Canada. “The rigours of agriculture demand both of those things, so we are pleased to be providing these respirators to the farmers of Canada.”
 
“Whether it is a small farm or big agri-business, effective safety programs require collaboration and cooperation,” says Ian Grant, President of Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. “For our part, Pioneer is proud to continue supporting CFA and CASA farm safety initiatives as we work together to help make Canadian farms safer places to work and live.”

For more information on farm safety and respiratory protection go to www.planfarmsafety.ca .