| | Teacher information guide | Training site inspection guidelines
In partnership with Alberta Education's Off Campus Education Policy (page 33), the Green Certificate Program asks for the cooperation of the school representative to facilitate the location and approval of a suitable training site and job site trainer. In the majority of cases the trainee already has a training site in mind. The training site can be any farming operation that covers one of the training levels and specializations skills.
From the Green Certificate Curriculum, the school representative cooperates to ensure:
- The selected work placement provides a safe and caring learning environment
- Effective learning is taking place
- The curriculum is being followed and that the appropriate opportunities exist for the student to develop the competencies specified by the general and specific outcomes
- Student progress is monitored and supervised
- Student performance is properly assessed, in partnership with the trainer/employer and Green Certificate Regional Coordinator
- The student is enrolled in the co- requisite course CTR 1210 Personal Safety Management, prior to or concurrent with enrollment in the first Green Certificate course
A suitable training site is one that has the proper equipment and a trainer with related expertise who is willing to train a willing learner in the skills outlined in the curriculum workbook. A trainer/employer needs to look carefully at the list of skills and determine his or her commitment to training an apprentice. If certain skills will not be well supported on their farm, the trainee may go to a neighbour or secondary trainer for suitable training. Trainers should have a commitment to training and coaching farm staff. Farms should be commercially viable businesses that can provide training required by today’s agriculture industry, or can arrange instruction from an alternate location.
All students have the right to a safe and healthy workplace. It is the policy of Alberta Education and the Green Certificate Program that the inspection of such a place is the responsibility of the school representative.
The school authority, through the designated certified teacher/coordinator, is responsible for ensuring that the work place is inspected and approved annually and the student’s safety is ensured throughout the off-campus placement - Alberta Education Off Campus Education Guide (2000), pg 43
A person designated by the school authority must inspect each Green Certificate training site annually. This inspection for Green Certificate purposes is termed the farmsite inspection. The person assigned to carry out the inspection does not need to be a specialist in occupational health & safety, nor do they need to be a specialist in agriculture production.
Designated persons should have a basic understanding about the characteristics of a safe and caring workplace and act as a judicious parent in deciding whether or not the workplace should be approved or not approved as an off campus learning site. - Alberta Education Off Campus Education Guide (2000), pg 44
Teacher Information Guide for Work Site Inspection and Approvals
On page 45 of the Off Campus Education guide is Alberta Education's Teacher Information Guide for Work Site Inspection and Approvals. It details four key items and may be used to guide the farmsite inspection and approval process:
1. Policy
2. Worker’s rights
3. Teacher responsibilities (workplace inspections, safety factors, educational factors, WCB)
4. Worker’s Compensation Board Procedure
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Green Certificate Training Site Inspection Guidelines
The farmsite inspection is a mandatory part of the Green Certificate Program in partnership with Alberta Educations’s Off-campus Education Guide. Understandably, not all school representatives feel comfortable in doing an on-farm safety audit. Therefore they can approach this activity as an awareness opportunity to work with the trainer and trainee together as a team. Like all safety issues, awareness of the potential hazards and adequate work site protocol can help to alleviate injuries and accidents. This is a unique opportunity for the school representative, trainer and trainee to learn together. Communication is key to the success of any program and to the success of the student. The initial farmsite inspection is a stepping-stone for the trainer and the trainee to recognize and be aware of safe working techniques and to interact with farm staff to ensure a safe workplace for all those involved. Being aware of the danger/hazard is the first step to prevention of accidents and injury.
The school authority through the designated school representative is responsible for ensuring that the work place is inspected and approved annually and the student’s safety is ensured throughout the off-campus placement - Alberta Education Off Campus Education Guide (2000), pg 43
If you have been assigned to do a farm safety site visit, the following information is provided to assist you and give an overview of farm operations in Alberta.
First, let us start with a brief description of the workplace safety and health legislation as it applies to farms. Farms in Alberta are an exception to this legislation. You will not find the usual things found in an industrial worksite that you may have visited while setting up other work sites. The approximately 50,000 farms in Alberta are unique and there are no two the same.
Conduct the farm site inspection as a tour. Let the farmer know you will be jotting down a few notes and that this is a normal part of any off-campus worksite inspection. Show the trainer the Farm Tour Checklist and have him or her talk you through the answers to each of the questions.
If you are a new school representative and still feel uncomfortable around farming operations, you may find it helpful to ask someone who is familiar with farming to assist on your first farm tour. Suggested resource people may include your local county agriculture fieldman, your Green Certificate Regional Coordinator, local Green Certificate testers, 4-H leaders, 4-H senior members and 4-H ambassadors.
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