MARCH 2018 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Farm safety is a family tradition on island
Succession plan works for this safety duo
by TAMARA LEIGH NANAIMO – As Ken Lacroix
looks toward retirement from AgSafe in the coming year; he knows he’s leaving his clients in good hands. Melissa Lacroix, his daughter and partner in the family safety consulting business, has joined the AgSafe team as the regional consultant for Vancouver Island. “Safety is part of our family
legacy. I can remember as a little girl, prior to my father, Ken, operating any piece of equipment or machinery, he always read the owners manual first,” Melissa recounts. “To this day, the same principles apply in the pre-planning of any job or task.” “Melissa got into it kind of
early,” says Ken. “When I was in the mining industry, I was a rescue team captain. We would have provincial competitions and she would be out there cheering us on, probably from the time she was six years old.” Ken Lacroix has worked as
the regional consultant for AgSafe since he retired from the mining industry in 1999. “Farmers on the Island are the nicest people in the world to work with. It’s a joy to go to the farms and feel like they want you there,” he says, noting that accident rates on Vancouver Island have been on the decline since he started with AgSafe. Melissa completed the Occupational Health & Safety program at BCIT, as well as a number of specialized trainings. She has experience in various industrial sectors, including supervising entry to confined spaces, monitoring gas testing, equipment maintenance, lock-out procedures, compliance with confined space entry permits, risk assessments and rescue plans.
“I am genuinely committed
to representing the best interest of our clients. We are in the field of health and safety because we want to be here and we are passionate about helping others,” says Melissa. “Accidents are sad and they happen, but the important thing is to share the lessons so we can learn from them.” Family safety is front and center this year for Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW), March 11-17. The
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theme this year is “Supporting Seniors.” As a part of CASW,
organizers have produced a number of resources focusing on senior producers including infographics and a series on mental well-being. 2018 also marks the second year of the AgSafe Ribbon campaign to raise awareness about the importance of farm safety. “The farm family is the most important support group in terms of keeping each other safe. By having the whole family work together and ensuring that everyone keeps safety in mind, we can help prevent farm accidents from happening,” says Ron Bonnett, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
AgSafe
consultant Ken Lacroix is leaving Vancouver Island in good hands as his daughter, Melissa, will be taking over when he retires this year. TAMARA LEIGH PHOTO
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Here’s to the GROWER
“ When I was a boy in India, I never could have imagined the opportunities I’d have in Canadian agriculture. My orchard business takes hard work, but I’m glad to see my kids grow up on a farm, just like I did. My name is Lakhwinder Brar and I grow fruits and vegetables.”
From all of us at FCC, thanks for making Canadian agriculture so amazing.
fcc.ca #HeresToCdnAg
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