2008 Alberta Farm Fatalities

	Date 2008	Age	Gender	Cause of Death	Circumstances
1	January 19	53	M	Crush	Trapped between tractor and large bale
2	January 24	67	M	Runover	Working on wiring of tractor. Starter engaged and tractor rolled forward and knocked victim down crushing pelvis
3	March 28	52	M	Entaglement	Clothing caught on shaft of a grain auger and victim became entangled
4	March 17	78	M	Livestock (Kicked)	Kicked in the chest by a horse and suffered cardiac arrest
5	April 4	16	M	Shot	Shot by brother who was cleaning his gun
6	April 22	52	M	Fall	Fell from 30 meter silo while checking silage levels
7	May 3	66	M	Livestock (Crush)	Was feeding bulls and crushed against feed trough
8	May 10	5	M	Fall	Fell off wagon being pulled by a tractor
9	May 14	2.5	M	Rollover	Multiple persons on ATV. ATV went down river embankment and rolled throwing child
10	May 15	68	M	Livestock (Trampled)	Charged and trampled by cow while moving livestock
11	June 14	7		Crush	Crushed by industrial garage door at a feed lot
12	June 17	2	M	Drown	Found face down in dugout - died in hospital 2 weeks later
13	June 30	54	F	ATV Rollover	Was driving ATV and took corner too fast. ATV rolled and crushed victim
14	August 1	74	M	Crush	Was filling tractor trailer tires with air. Tractor rolled forward pinning victim between tractor and truck
15	August 7	59	M	Fall	Fell from horse
16	August 8	11	M	ATV Rollover	Roll-over of off road vehicle he was driving, throwing all 3 occupants
17	August 19	74	M	Rollover	Tractor rolled while grading a driveway
18	August 27	6	M	Asphyxia	Buried in grain while truck was being unloaded
19	August 27	7	M	Asphyxia	Buried in grain while truck was being unloaded
20	August 28	42	M	Crush	Crushed by bobcat arms against machine
21	September 19	83	M	Crush	Wing of cultivator fell and crushed victim
22	October 17	50	M	Entanglement	Arm of harrow caught victim as it opened and threw victim 10 meters against a metal feed trough
23	November 18	36		Asphyxia	Suffocated in a grain silo

• Decrease your risk of being crushed by using lockout procedures before beginning any maintenance or repair work. Lockout means to physically neutralize all energies in a piece of equipment. Machines, devices or power transmission lines can be de-energized by applying blocks to all parts under tension or pressure, bleeding the hydraulic pressure from the lines or by releasing pressure from a coil or spring.
• When working with livestock always ensure you have an escape route planned and that you are wearing the appropriate gear for the job. For example – wear a helmet and appropriate footwear when riding a horse.
• Provide a safe, fenced play area for all children and supervise closely. The working area of the farm is not a playground anymore than a construction site or other industrial area would be a play area. Review the safety rules on your farm with your family often. Fence off all manure, retaining ponds and dugouts, and lock buildings containing hazardous goods.
• Maintain all farm machinery in good working order and ensure all safety devices are in place and working properly. Guards and shields on PTOs, augers and belts are imperative to avoid entanglements. Wear tight-fitting clothing such as overalls and avoid wearing any items that could easily become entangled such as long coats, scarves or clothing that is ripped.
• Never perform maintenance on a machine or attempt to clear an obstruction while the machine is still running. Ensure the equipment is completely shut down and the key is in your pocket.
• Commit to providing appropriate personal protective gear for all hazardous tasks on the farm. Set an example by wearing the gear in all situations.
• Communication is key. Always tell coworkers or family where you will be working and make a commitment that all workers will be checked on every few hours. Provide cell phones or radio for emergency communication. For young, inexperienced or elderly workers, check more often.
• There are many ways to ensure the safety of your family and workers. Start with the development of a safety plan for your operation and a commitment to lead by example. Develop a farm safety plan that outlines the possible hazards for all areas of the farm. Eliminate all possible hazards and decide how to manage others such as providing personal protective gear or fencing off hazardous areas.