Friday,April 23, 2010 - PRAIRIE POST - 15

Stay safe this spring with these tips

ALBERTAS AGRICULTURE

When working on a farm, knowing what to do if you came

across a co-worker or family member in an emergency situation, perhaps pinned by a baler or stuck in a combine, could mean the difference between an injury and fatality. “It’s a horrible thought, but in a careless moment, things can happen,” says Kenda Lubeck, farm safety co-ordinator with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Often an injury victim is discovered by a family member and it is vital that the uninjured person on the scene remains calm and knows how to start rescue procedures.” For the first person on the scene of an emergency, these

are the steps recommended by the training crew to rescue the victim: Step one: Call for help. If the victim is entangled, pinned or crushed by equipment call the fire department or rescue squad and an ambulance. Do not call family members first if you can help it. Step two: Ensure all rescuers are safe and not in any danger.

Step three: Assess the situation. What equipment is involved? Are there chemicals? Could further damage or injury occur? Perform a 360-degree walk-around to completely assess the situation. Step four: Secure the site. Stabilize all equipment and machinery. This includes cribbing to keep the equipment from shifting and causing more harm or greater injury. Cribbing is using blocks of wood or similar material to cradle and secure any piece of equipment. Step five: If possible, without causing additional injury, quickly and carefully extricate the victim in the safest manner possible. This most likely will require a team of rescuers, depending on the situation. Of course the most important message is to avoid accidents at all costs.

• Do not wear loose clothing. Watch for dangling threads, hair and strings — anything that can get caught up in equipment and create an injury. • Always disengage equipment, shut off the power/motor and apply the brake before exiting the tractor or adjusting

Farm safety gets an upgrade

COURTESY SASK.POWER

SASKATCHEWAN

With spring having arrived in Saskatchewan, SaskPower is using a new approach to make sure farmers keep safety in mind as they return to the fields. An animated farm safety video, which can now be found at saskpower.com has valuable information on how to stay safe on the farm. “Every morning on the farm is a great opportunity to plan your day and really think about any hazards that might be out there, electrical or otherwise,” says SaskPower Chief Safety Officer Glenda Barton. “Anyone working on a farm must always be watchful for overhead power lines and other electrical equipment. A few seconds of inattention can be enough to cause injury or death.”

Planning ahead can be the difference between getting a job done safely and suffering a life-altering injury or costly equipment damage. For that reason, SaskPower’s new video includes these critical safety tips for farmers as they prepare for spring work: • Take time each day to plan your route around overhead lines and power poles.

• Make sure to always lower equipment before moving it, and watch out for power lines when carrying tall equipment such as ladders. • Never approach a downed power line because the ground around it can be electrified.

• Because electricity can jump to nearby buildings, grain bins and hay stacks, place any structure at least 50 feet away from power lines.

• If you use an irrigation system, keep the water away

from the power lines to avoid electrifying the water stream.

• Never trim trees near power lines or remove broken branches that have fallen on power lines. While most farmers know their land like the back of their hands, Barton says it’s important for them to remember not everyone has as much experience as they do.

In addition to the new animated video at: saskpower.com, SaskPower will be running province- wide radio advertising and a bill insert campaign to promote safety on the farm this spring. The bill insert contains peel-and-stick safety decals to place inside farm equipment to remind farmers what to do if they accidentally contact an overhead line.

• ALL H AVY D • HYDRAULICS • W

• LIGHT C • M

• WELDING & F

L HEAVY DUTY AGRO MACHINERY G & FABRICAT

• IRRIGATION POWER UNITS A D PS AND PUMPS • SEMI TRACTORS & T • L

• MAINTENANCE & S & TRAILERS

T CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT & SERVICING

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any equipment. This is one of those “at-all-costs” things. • Look after yourself and your team. Get enough sleep. Drink enough water. Eat proper meals and take regular breaks. This keeps the mind and body working properly to make the decisions and exert the energy. • Get the proper training on unfamiliar equipment for yourself, family members or co-workers. If you know how it works, you know the dangers that can come with it.

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