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Serious injury claims in the
agriculture industry (from 2003-2007)
totaled 1,488, according to WorkSafeBC.
The average injury rate per 100 person-
years of employment during this five-
year period was 3.5. FARSHA’s Bruce
Johnson says this number dropped to
3.2 in 2008. The number of fatality
claims from 2003-2007 was 16.
The top five accident types in this
five-year period are: fall to lower level
(19 percent), ergonomic (16 percent),
fall on same level (13 percent), struck
Classroom setting also works well for sessions put on by the Farm and
by object (12 percent) and caught
Ranch Safety and Health Association, which offers services in several
in/compressed (7 percent). The
addresses. It has resources that can
languages.
remaining 32 percent represented
“other” accident type. Sprains, strains
help parents or guardians make
to see a safety culture established
and tears represented 37 percent of the
informed decisions on whether
within agriculture, where employers
injury types, followed by fractures at 33
children are ready for various types
have a risk management philosophy.
percent.
of agricultural work.
This would include recognizing
hazards and assessing the risk to
In the orchard classification unit,
there were 214 claims during the 2003-
parents do a simple risk assessment
“FARSHA recommends farm themselves and their workers,
2007 period, representing six percent of
of their farm to identify hazards that
followed by a method of control. “We
the total number of agriculture claims.
may present a risk to children, and
recommend that all employers have
In the berry farming sector, there were
either eliminate the hazard or make
an active health and safety plan or
115 claims, three percent of the total.
it off limits.”
program; this is the foundation of a
health and safety culture within the
Johnson says the most recent data
FARSHA has received for the 2004-2008
its efforts to reduce injuries on farms
The association has seen success in workplace.”
period indicates a total of 681 claims
and ranches. For example, workers at
(five year average). This dropped to
a large greenhouse in the Fraser
FARSHA’s services, call (toll free) 1-
For more information on
620 in 2008. The total of serious
Valley suffered numerous muscle
877-533-1789 or visit its website at
claims (five year average) was 276.
strains and back injuries. FARSHA’s
www.farsha.bc.ca. You can also email
This number dropped to 250 in 2008.
health and safety specialist
at
farmsafe@farsha.bc.ca.
performed an ergonomic risk
assessment and made
recommendations to modify some
parts of the grading line. Once
completed and back in operation, the
Waycon Innovation Inc.
manager reported that production
increased and nearly all worker
injuries were eliminated.
Premium quality designed and built cherry equipment
Investment Agriculture Foundation
With funding assistance from Complete cherry packing lines or components
of B.C., FARSHA developed a
: D W H U + \ G U D X O L F & K H U U \ & O X V W H U 6 H S D U D W R U V
program to train firefighters to
D N D Z D W H U F O X V W H U E X V W H U V
effectively respond to farm
+ \ G U R & R R O H U V 5 D L Q : D W H U 6 \ V W H P V
emergencies, such as someone
trapped in an overturned tractor.
& K H U U \ 3 D U D O O H O 5 R O O H U 6 L ] H U
And over the past several years,
% L Q 7 L S S H U V
FARSHA has collaborated with the
5 H F H L Y L Q J 7 D Q N V
Prairie Agricultural Machinery
( O H Y D W R U V
Institute to develop practical
6 R U W L Q J 7 D E O H V
solutions to hazards known to cause
& H U W L I L H G ( O H F W U L F D O 3 D Q H O V
numerous injuries. More recently,
FARSHA completed a new supervisor
health and safety training program.
Waycon Innovation Inc., 275 Waterloo Ave., Penticton, BC V2A-7J3
Sales Representative: Scott Ward, E-mail
scott@waycon.net
Cell: 250 809 6077 or Fax: 250 492 3200
22
Johnson said FARSHA would like
British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2009-10
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