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Farm Safety -- Put Your Best Foot Forward | |
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From the May 25, 2009 Issue of Agri-News | |
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The theme of the 2009 Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) only works if you use it! The campaign places a focus on the use, fit and access of PPE in agriculture.
“Agricultural producers work in diversified conditions,” says Laurent Pellerin, Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) first vice-president. “Proper footwear and foot care are essential for the comfort, safety and productivity of everyone working on a farm.”
There are two major categories of work-related foot injuries. The first is trauma injuries from punctures, crushes, and lacerations, which account for 10 per cent of reported disabling injuries. The second is injuries resulting from slips, trips and falls – accounting for 15 per cent of reported disabling injuries, reports the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).
These two categories of foot injuries; however, do not exhaust the whole range of foot problems at work. There are also other conditions such as calluses, ingrown toenails or simply tired feet that are common among workers. Footwear that fits poorly or is in need of repair also contributes heavily to foot discomfort.
Although these may not be considered as occupational injuries in the strictest sense, they can cause discomfort, pain and fatigue. Fatigue sets up the worker for further injuries affecting the muscles and joints. Also, a worker who is tired and suffering pain is less alert and more likely to act unsafely, and an incident may result.
The best way to involve workers in programs to protect their feet is to provide: training and information on the health hazards of wearing improper shoes; the principles for selecting proper ones; and, the simple rules of general foot care. In addition, protective footwear should conform to CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z195-02 or appropriate standards for the jurisdiction.
Good footwear should grip the heel firmly; allow free movement of the toes; have a low wide-based heel; and, have a fastening across the instep to prevent the foot from slipping when walking.
The type of flooring used in the workplace has an important influence on comfort. Hard, unyielding floors such as concrete are the least comfortable surfaces to work on. Slippery floors are hazardous for slips and falls that can result in sprained ankles or broken bones. Additional hazards for foot injury exist in outdoor jobs that involve freezing temperatures, or wetness in low temperatures, frostbite and trench foot.
Job and workplace designs also have the potential to increase foot safety:
- keep mobile equipment away from areas usually used for foot traffic
- ensure guards are installed properly on all machinery
- keep walkways and work areas tidy
- keep stairs, ramps, walkways and work areas clear of debris and well lit to reduce slips, trips and falls
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the CFA along with Farm Credit Canada (FCC), Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) want to remind farmers that “PPE only works if you use it!”
For more farm safety information, visit the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development website at www.agriculture.alberta.ca/farmsafety
Contact:
Raelyn Peterson, B.Sc Ag
Farm Safety coordinator
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
780-538-5633, Grande Prairie
The contents of this page are no longer available.
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For more information about the content of this document, contact Raelyn Peterson.
This document is maintained by Rita Splawinski.
This information published to the web on May 20, 2009.
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