See you at Agriculture Safety Days

Gordon Wright

Gordon Wright, Medicine Hat Community Health Services

It’s time again to sow the seeds of safety in our fields. And as singer Connie Kaldor croons, “Spring in the Prairies comes like a surprise. One minute there’s snow on the ground, the next there’s sun in your eyes.”

This is a particularly busy time for southern Albertans in the agriculture industry. Everyone—male and female, young and old—is active and trying to get a positive start to a productive season. Farmers are in planting mode. Ranchers are raising herds. Suppliers are delivering products. And many are operating large equipment and hurrying along rural roads.


Besides being a busy time; it’s also a dangerous time, and haste can add temptation to take risks. Did you know May is the month when most agricultural workers end up in hospital with major trauma? Injury and illness can set back grand plans and ruin lives. And machinery and large animals are two of the leading causes of fatal injuries.

At Alberta Health Services, we’re also busy reminding farm families and those visiting rural areas about farm safety. We’re preparing for nine unique Progressive Agriculture Safety Days where we’ll be talking to youngsters about safe living in farm country.

During this hectic period, we’re also working with a number of partners—farm families, traffic safety advisers, implement dealers and community volunteers about things they can do to stay safe. If we can save one life or help prevent a serious injury, everyone benefits. We all want productive young people to grow up in safe, healthy communities.

In the coming months, thousands of southern Albertan students will be donning bright Progressive Agriculture shirts to highlight safety days. They’ll learn everything from equipment safety to internet safety. Participants have an opportunity to view eight or nine safety presentations on a variety of topics: staying safe around water and electrical wires, tips for protecting their hearing and more. They then take safety messages home, along with “goody bags” filled with promotional items, and we encourage them to share what they’ve learned with family and friends.

In the last 20 years, Progressive Agriculture Safety Days have impacted more than 1.2 million children and adults throughout Canada and the United States. These efforts are saving lives and reducing serious injuries.

If students can’t attend an event in your area, contact us and we may be able to arrange something for next season. The value to our communities and province is tremendous.

Gordon Wright is a health promotion facilitator at Medicine Hat Community Health Services and can be reached at 403-502-8238 or email gordon.wright2@albertahealthservices.ca. To learn more about farm safety days, visit www.progressiveag.org

2014 Progressive Agriculture Safety Days will be held in Pincher Creek on Monday, June 23 at Canyon School.  Contact Megan Heroux at 403-388-6657 for more information.