Healthy, Safe and Successful

Poultry farmers understand and adhere to strict standards when it comes to food safety, but surprisingly, there are still many who don’t realize that they must also adhere to standards of health and safety.

The good news is that it isn’t because farmers don’t care, it is really just a case of many not realizing that, as “businesses,” they fall under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and, if they do know it, of being unsure where to begin. In fact, according to the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), 85 per cent of producers believe safety is a priority on their farm, yet less than nine per cent of operators have a written agricultural safety plan.

At a recent presentation made to members of the Poultry Industry Council, Kristin Hoffman, a consultant with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS), noted that many producers were surprised to learn the scope of their responsibilities under the OHSA. Many didn’t realize that they are considered “employers” and are responsible for the health and safety of workers who come to their farms.

In fact, the Ministry of Labour in Ontario defines an employer as a person who employs one or more workers or a person who contracts for the services of one or more workers.

Attendees of the workshop were lucky enough to be learning about this in a meeting room, but some haven’t been so fortunate.

In her presentation, Hoffman shared examples of those who were fined because they failed to fulfil their responsibilities as an employer. In the three examples that were shared, two workers were injured and one was killed on the job. The employers were convicted for a variety of offences, including failing to take reasonable precaution and failing to provide information, instruction and supervision, and fines ranged from $50,000 to $80,000.

Producers regularly work with outside service providers to manage the various stages of production, which can include delivery services, catching crews, pick-up and transport providers, and cleaning services. In some cases, providers offer more than one of these services, but occasionally different providers are used for each step and farmers aren’t working with the same people every time.

“The producer and the service provider need to share in the responsibility of training these workers to be safe on the farm,” explained Hoffman. The service provider should be training their employees on the basics of health and safety, such as fall protection and equipment safety. However, every farm is different and it is up to the operator to orient new workers to the hazards and risks that exist in their workplace.”

In addition to providing clients with information about legislated responsibilities, Hoffman also offered some tips on where to start.

UNDERSTAND YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Hoffman and other WSPS consultants are working with individual clients and attending events like this to continue spreading the word about the responsibilities of farm operators and how they can create healthy and safe workplaces. However, there are also many resources available online from associations such as WSPS, the Ministry of Labour, Chicken Farmers of Ontario and CASA.

ASSESS WORKPLACE HAZARDS AND RISKS

Physical conditions of the farm are very important. Take stock of all of the hazards and risks that exist in your operation including things like equipment, processes, chemicals, etc. Create a list and prioritize them.

START WITH SIGNIFICANT RISKS AND DOCUMENT SIMPLE STANDARDS

You don’t have to start from scratch. Chicken Farmers of Ontario offers a Safe Work Practices tool on its website, which includes information about job planning and safe work practices, specifically written for broiler chicken farmers.

DEVELOP A PLAN
There are many resources available to assist farm operators with developing a plan.

The Canada FarmSafe Plan, available from CASA, is an adaptable guide for producers to use in developing, implementing and establishing an effective farm and ranch safety plan. And, as the delivery agent for Ontario, WSPS offers the OntarioFarmSafe Plan, which can be downloaded from the website for only $49 (and includes additional resources and templates). This version features provincial legislation and compliance information.

TALK TO SERVICE PROVIDERS

Consider asking service providers about their health and safety policies and practices when negotiating contracts. Find out if they are providing the necessary training to ensure that workers have the required qualifications, skills and general safety knowledge to work safely. That way, you will be sure they understand the basics when you’re showing them how to work safely on your farm.

SHOW AND TELL

It’s important to spend time with new workers arriving on the farm to make sure they know about the processes and equipment that they’ll be working with. Take the time to walk them around the area in which they’ll be working, as well as tell them what you expect. Health and safety should be managed with the same rigour that goes into every other facet of the business. 

“Really, farm operators are well equipped to manage this responsibility. Collaborating on the health and safety of workers is no different than collaborating with food manufacturers on the health and safety of the flock. It’s really just a matter of understanding responsibilities, making the commitment and developing a plan that makes sense for your farming operation,” said Hoffman.

ABOUT WORKPLACE SAFETY AND PREVENTION SERVICES

WSPS provides industry-specific health and safety products, training and consulting services to 154,000 businesses and 3.8 million employees in Ontario’s agricultural, manufacturing and service sectors.

As one of four health and safety associations operating under the Health and Safety Ontario banner, WSPS is a trusted advisor to businesses, large and small, seeking to boost productivity and profitability by reaching zero work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

For more information on farm safety and links to downloadable resources, visit www.healthandsafetyontario.ca or contact WSPS at 1-877-494-9777.