Concerned by the increasingly alarming farm safety statistics and sobering headlines in many parts of rural Canada, BASF Canada has struck a partnership with the leading national organization promoting farm safety to extend the reach of community-based educational initiatives in 2016.
BASF is sponsoring and providing on-the-ground support to the National Progressive Ag Safety Days that will be conducted by the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association (CASA) in more than 95 communities in nine provinces across Canada this year.
“All of us at BASF believe that safety is critical and we’re taking action by supporting National Progressive Ag Safety days in our communities,” said Melissa Parkinson, a BASF Business Representative. “Farming is the biggest job on earth, but it’s also among the most dangerous in Canada – and that has to change.”
According to farm safety statistics monitored by CASA, farmers are five times more likely to be killed through occupation-related accidents than any other industry. Tragically, 47 per cent of fatalities were farmers and owner-operators and 14 per cent were children.
While the safety days are geared to children who live on farms and in rural communities, Parkinson and her BASF colleagues hope the sessions will prompt kitchen-table discussions that will improve safety on the farm for everyone.
“Safety is a day-in, day-out effort that involves everyone working on the farm, living on the farm, or nearby,” said Parkinson.
Since 2013, the program has grown from 69 safety days to the 95 planned this year. It is expected that 26,000 will participate this year – up from almost 17,000. It is the largest rural safety and health education program for children in Canada.
BASF Business Representatives like Parkinson will be actively involved in most of the farm safety events scheduled across Canada for 2016. The days are concentrated between April and July and span British Columbia, the Prairie provinces, Ontario, Quebec and PEI.
Source : BASF