| | Highland Feeders
Model Safety Program sets the Standard Highland Feeders’ state-of-the-art safety program at Vegreville, AB, not only increases worker safety on the job, it represents a proactive approach to workplace safety.
Safety consultant Eric Jones, who has been instrumental in setting up Highland’s program, says, “Agricultural workplace safety isn’t legislated yet, but in the future, if agricultural workplace safety becomes legislated, Highland Feeders will be well prepared.”
Highland Feeders isn’t waiting for legislation to improve workers’ safety. Their meticulously crafted plan is already in place. “Creating a safety plan is a co-operative process involving management and employees,” says Jones. “A full commitment from the management of the business or the farm is necessary from the outset.”
Jones says this doesn’t necessarily come easy. “Once you have buy-in from management, it’s necessary to build credibility with the employees or farm workers. It takes a lot of patient explaining of the benefits to start the process – regardless of whether you’re a business or farm.”
Jones introduced the Highland Feeders’ safety program in incremental steps. “A training program is a good place to start. We began by setting up a safety training program at Highland Feeders in 1994. You have to know the business extremely well. A safety plan must take into account each unique set of circumstances.”
In the initial stage, Jones set up a hazard identification course and first aid instruction. He built up safety awareness and fostered buy-in among employees by placing safety displays in the foyer of Highland Feeders. He also conducted plant inspections. “Highland Feeders was very amenable to planned inspections, but this isn’t always the case,” he says.
Hazards on feedlots are associated with feed-mills and silos where workers can encounter grain dust and climbing hazards. Working with cattle and horses in pens and alleys exposes workers to crushing and hand/foot injuries. Exposure to adverse weather conditions, dealing with moving machinery, watching for feed trucks, needle pricks
in the processing units –just everyday work around the feedlot – requires workers to be alert and to be constantly aware of the hazards. Being well trained in safety practices is a first line of defence.
Safety training and procedures should include tips on recognizing distress in livestock, livestock equipment safety and dealing with liner rollovers. As Jones points out, each safety program should be tailored to the individual feedlot and farm business.
The safe use of medications, needles and syringes deserves special attention. “It’s easy to puncture yourself during an inoculation. Introducing safety procedures and processes can prevent many of these common worker injuries,” he says. “Safety plans address these hazards and, hopefully, prevent many injuries from happening.”
In crafting the Highland Feeders safety program, Jones says he didn’t have to completely reinvent the wheel. Using the Health and Safety Guide for the Construction Industry as a resource, he adopted sections that could be applied to hazards associated with feedlots, such as pen riding. “When riders enter a pen with 50 to 100 cattle, they must be alert and ready for the unexpected. It is not easy work, and injuries do occur. Cattle spook easily, and the pen riders must be skilled in the procedures if they are to practise safety on the job,” says Jones. “The Highland safety plan with employee input has increased the safety of that work.”
In setting up Highland’s program, Jones also utilized Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS) materials. Comprehensive information can be found on the Health Canada website, www.hc-sc.gc.ca, under Environmental and Workplace Health.
The Highland Feeders program was championed internally by Research Director Page Stuart. “Her help and interest were tremendous,” says Jones. “Page understands the need for a safety program, not only in terms of worker safety, but also in terms of how it contributes to the health of the business itself.”
The Highland Feeders safety plan is not formally enforced, nor is it a condition of employment, but Jones says the safety plan is well-supported by both workers and management. “Safety is everybody’s responsibility,” says Jones. “Once you have buy-in, the plan develops according to the particular interests of the business and the hazards that are perceived and identified in the workplace. It’s in everybody’s best interest to comply.”
Recently, Jones took Highland’s safety program up a notch. The program now includes safety training for Highland’s first-ever emergency crew. Six members of the crew are being trained in Leduc by Inform Alberta, a safety organization. Comprehensive training includes a confined-space rescue course as well as rope rescue, both of which are specific to hazards found on feedlots.
“Basically we’re working to increase safety in two interrelated areas of the business,” says Jones. “When fully trained, the emergency crew will serve Highland’s state-of-the-art Integrated Manure Utilization System (which turns manure into energy), and the feedlot itself. In addition we are in the process of working towards a Certificate of
Recognition (COR) for the feedlot and for the bio gas plant”.
Jones says the Highland Feeders safety program will continue to be improved because it’s given priority. “The name of the game is to keep workers healthy and safe. Highland Feeders is committed to that principle”.
Eric Jones can be reached at 780-487-8090 or joneset@telus.net. |
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