Olds College will be the site for the ninth annual young farmer safety training workshop being held on April 29.
The workshop is sponsored by Safe Communities of Central Alberta and will focus on helping students identify high-risk tasks, obtaining training in various farm operation tasks and working with parents or employers on updating the farm safety plan.
This year, students can select from sessions focusing on working safely near power lines, properly using a fire extinguisher, farm machinery operation, maintenance shops, cattle, equine and an interactive session identifying hazards around the farm.
Kathleen Raines, executive director of Safe Communities of Central Alberta, said because of the unique nature of farms being both a workplace and a home environment, the safety workshops are vitally important.
"Most farms are family businesses and so we know that there are young farm workers, children, working on farms and so in an effort to increase awareness of safety issues and provide applicable training (the workshops are provided),î said Raines.
The identification of hazards on the farm is a new feature this year. Students will get a workbook and do a session at the workshop on confined spaces, safe farm machinery operation and power line safety.
"That's the take-home piece from this year's workshop that's new is that they'll get this workbook, they'll get started at the workshop and then they go home to their own farm, complete the workbook and when they turn it back in they get the one credit for the ag. farm module,î she said.
A majority of the students that enroll in the workshops are also enrolled in the Green Certificate program, an on-farm training program for students, much like an apprenticeship program, that is run through the provincial government.
"Safety training is part of the Green Certificate program and this workshop fulfils part of their safety training requirements. But other farm youth are welcome to attend as well,î she said.
Raines said program administrators do a detailed evaluation of the workshop at the end of each year by asking participants, their parents and Green Certificate trainers for their feedback to find out what was beneficial and what suggestions they would make to improve the workshops.
"All the sessions have to be interactive, so we don't just have classroom presentations. And so we tailor these sessions to where a majority of (students' interests) are,î she said, noting that since over 70 per cent of all injuries on the farm involve farm machinery, there is always a session on large farm machinery operation and horses. Other topics, however, change periodically.
"We're bringing in hands-on people who work in the agricultural sector or the safety sector. So kids will not just see a fire extinguisher they will use a fire extinguisher,î she said.
Online registration for the workshop is now open and can be completed by going to www.regonline.ca/2014youngfarmworker.
"We're bringing in hands-on people who work in the agricultural sector or the safety sector."Kathleen Rainesexecutive director Safe Communities of Central Alberta
