Safety now for farmers
Posted Mar 13, 2013 3:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Union of Food and Commercial Workers says it’s time the provincial government did its job and include farmers under the Occupational Health Safety Act.
Canada’s largest private sector union feels rural Alberta has been put at risk for far too long.
“It is a shameful decision,” says UFCW Canada national representative Devin Yeager. “The recommendations regarding increased coordination, awareness, and education and training aren’t enough in themselves, because without regulatory enforcement under OHSA, too many Alberta farm workers will continue to be victims of workplace accidents and fatalities.”
“There are a lot of farmers out there that are being proactive in their approach to safety and feel that their employees are a vital part of the farming process. These employers should be recognized for doing the right thing,” says Yeager, “but there are also agriculture operators who show no regard for safety when it comes to their employees. There needs to be OHSA protection for workers on all farms – not just a voluntary safety program for those employers who choose to participate.”
