Winnipeg, November 28, 2011: Most of Canada’s farmers say safety is a top priority, but only one in 10 has a written safety plan. To address this gap, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) developed a comprehensive health and safety program known as the Canada FarmSafe plan. And now, CASA is partnering with Ontario’s Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) to customize the plan for Ontario producers.
WSPS has just signed an agreement to be the provincial delivery agent for Ontario FarmSafe, a new tool based on the Canada FarmSafe plan, that will assist Ontario farmers in keeping their workers and businesses healthy and safe.
“We are committed to putting health and safety solutions within reach of every employer and employee in Ontario. Working with CASA to offer Ontario FarmSafe is an important step toward delivering on that promise for our agriculture clients,” says Elizabeth Mills, President and CEO of WSPS.
Dean Anderson, Regional Director, WSPS and Chair of CASA notes, “For many of our clients, it’s not a question of whether or not they want to work safely; it’s a matter of accessing the information they need, and receiving it in a manner that makes sense for their business. Ontario FarmSafe, set to be released in Ontario in 2012, is an important new program that will help all farmers manage health and safety, no matter the size, location or type of farm they operate.”
CASA’s agricultural health and safety specialist Glen Blahey led the development of the Canada FarmSafe plan. “It’s practical, sensible and it works,” Blahey says. “We’re very pleased to customize the basic plan for Ontario farmers.”
Blahey explains, “Ontario FarmSafe goes way beyond hazard assessment check lists. It’s a safety commitment with tools to make safety part of every plan and action on the farm.”
Ontario FarmSafe includes information, tools and templates to assist farm operators in:
- understanding their obligations under Ontario legislation
- composing a general policy statement for safety and health
- identifying hazards
- controlling hazards, including documenting standard operating procedures for all work on the farm, outlining emergency actions, conducting training and investigating incidents
- communicating responsibilities
- reviewing the plan
The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is a national, non-profit organization that provides leadership and direction for agricultural health and safety to help farmers, their families and workers recognize and manage safety risks. CASA is primarily funded under Growing Forward, a federal provincial territorial agreement, with support from Canadian agri-business.
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) provides industry-specific health and safety products, training and consulting services to 154,000 businesses and 3.8 million employees in Ontario’s agricultural, manufacturing and service sectors. Previously you knew us as Farm Safety Association, Industrial Accident Prevention Association and Ontario Service Safety Alliance. WSPS is committed to putting health and safety solutions within reach of every employee and employer in the province and we believe in building partnerships to help us deliver on that promise.
Media contact:
Diane Wreford Tara Seel Heather West
CASA CASA WSPS
(204)275-8874 (204)275-8870 (905) 614-2148
