6
Time to make hay. PRODUCTIVITY that’s one-of-a-kind.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • JULY 2017
Seat belts must be worn at all times on tractors
Editor: Re: Accident claims safety advocate, June 2017, page 1 Safety is not just about compliance, it’s
Letters
Thanks to features like its redesigned pick-up, stuffer and exclusive OptiForm extended bale chamber, you can count on the 1840 small square baler from Hesston
® for more capacity, more bale consistency and more uniform density than ever. There’s even storage for ten twine spools instead of six. Cut. Condition. Dry.
about knowing what to do. At AgSafe, our mission is to keep those
working in BC’s agriculture sector safe. In a recent article, reference was made regarding seat belt use when operating a tractor that may have caused some confusion. To be clear, WorkSafeBC OHS Regulations Part 28.42 Use of seat belts on agricultural tractors states: Despite section 16.33(2), a seat belt must be used at all times when operating an agricultural tractor equipped with a rollover protective structure. [Enacted by B.C. Reg. 312/2004, effective
January 1, 2005.]
When operating a tractor, seat belts are not a choice. You must wear your seat belt if you are operating a tractor equipped with a Roll-Over Protection Structure/System (ROPS). A worker must not drive or use an agriculture tractor unless the tractor has ROPS. When I consult on agriculture safety operations, I refer to the Roll-Over Protection System, because the term “system” includes seat belts. Note that WorkSafeBC can review a risk assessment as it pertains to a tractor without ROPS, and can order you to install a ROPS or remove the non-ROPS-equipped tractor from service. Bottom line, you must wear a seat belt at all times when operating a tractor equipped with ROPS.
R.C. Steward B.C. Ranch Safety Consultant
Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Consultant Superintendent of Field Operations, AgSafe
Massey Ferguson® Hesston Series Disc Mowers. Haymaking is easy with the 1300 Series mower conditioners from Massey Ferguson. With three models ranging from 9.3-feet to 15.3, these mowers have it all – rotary disc cutting action, advanced hay conditioning, quality side pull Model 1359 or center pivot efficiency on Models 1372 and 1375. From tough fields to lush alfalfa, these mowers convert swaths to windrows, adding up to better hay.
Ground Breaking Solutions | Sunflower
Blueberry growers pack meeting Ag Briefs
ABBOTSFORD – Blueberry
growers packed the BC Blueberry Council’s annual general meeting on June 13 in what was described as a lively but otherwise mundane meeting.
strawberry and raspberry organizations. Perhaps the most
interesting developments at the meeting, based on reports, were the decisions taken with respect to the council’s leadership. Delta blueberry
EDITED BY TAMARA LEIGH
Approximately 300 growers attended the meeting, which was closed to media. The attendance was equivalent to less than half of the council’s membership of 700. The sheer number of growers in attendance contrasted sharply with the handful that attended this year’s annual meetings of the much smaller
SUNFLOWER 1000 SERIES DISC HARROWS are the #1 choice for seedbed
preparation.The Sunflower Model 1435 flexible tandem disc harrow combines aggressive gang angles and weight with superior design and control to achieve excellent field performance. And it’s available in seven widths from 20’ 7” to 35’10” with the choice of full-concavity 22” or 24” blades.
Quality Pre-Owned Tractors & Equipment
ANDEX 843 RAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,500 BOBCAT BACKHOE, SKID ST MNT 6,500 BOBCAT S570 LOW HOURS . . . . . . 42,000 FORD 7700 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,500 FORD 4000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL GASPARDO PLANTER 4 ROW . . . . 35,000 JCB 409 WHEEL LOADER . . . . . . . . 45,000 JOHN DEERE 3720 . . . . . . . . . . . COMING
JOHN DEERE 4400 LOW HRS . . . . 17,500 KVERNELAND 4032 MOWER . . . . . 16,000 KVERNELAND 12’
FR.MT MOWER . CALL LEON 425 SPREADER . . . . . . . . . . . 22,000 NEW HOLLAND TM150 . . . . . . . . . 47,000 SUNFLOWER 7232 23 FT HARROW 17,500 TYCROP DUMPBOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,500 VALMAR 1255 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,000
We service all makes!
Van Der Wal Equipment (1989) Ltd. 23390 RIVER ROAD, MAPLE RIDGE, BC V2W 1B6 604/463-3681 |
vanderwaleq.com
Book today!
Call: 1.877.533.1789
Contact@AgSafeBC.ca
www.AgSafeBC.ca
grower Jack Bates was elected chair, replacing Nancy Chong. Bates told Country Life in BC that the meeting
addressed a variety of procedural issues but was otherwise uneventful. In addition to Bates, Shaminder Mallhi was elected vice-chair. The council’s 13- member board of directors also welcomed Ripanjit Malhia, Dalbir Benipal and Kevin Husband to their number.
Tractor safety training Onsite training at no cost
The day-to-day leadership of the council remains with Anju Gill, the council’s assistant executive director. Gill will continue to serve as acting executive director for the foreseeable future. Gill has held the role since
March 31, when former executive director Debbie Etsell stepped down to work alongside her husband Garnet Etsell and grow the family’s latest venture, Singletree Estate Winery. Peter Mitham
Kelowna adopts housing bylaw KELOWNA – Kelowna and
growers are now on the same page when it comes to farm worker housing. A new bylaw passed June 19 lets farmers apply to build accommodation for up to 60 workers on farm properties without a public hearing. The usual permit applications are still required. The housing can be occupied for up to 10 months each year. The bylaw is an
improvement on previous proposals, which limited accommodation to 40 units for just eight months, sticking points for the BC Fruit Growers Association, which said the limits didn’t reflect current practice of local farms, and was too restrictive. Should “significant
problems or issues” arise over the next two to three years, the BCFGA has said it is open to revisiting the bylaw. Peter Mitham
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
