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8 - The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, March 30, 1999 Farm life idyllic at times, but danger lurks By IRENE GENTLE The Champion The idealized image of faim life is one of golden sunshine, waving wheat fields and plenty of big-eyed, frolicsome faim ani- mais. The reality can be enormous faim machines witb vicious blades capable of mangling a person's am, or worae, before they have time to oeact. "You have a 100 borsepower tractor going 540 sbaft tumas a mJinute," said Milton farmer and Halton Farm Safety Association (HFSA) president Cecil Patterson. "Tbere's no way on God's green caith 1 could stop that with my baie haod." Stili, tbat's juat what farmers seemn to lie attempting when tbey reach into running macbinery to unclog a jam in the works, lie said. Instead, tbey should shut the machine off, then tum it back on after clearing tbe jam. Other perils abound on the faim. Overtumned tractors and live- stock that cao go fmom cranky to downnigbt dangerous cao be a trial to faim workers bent on staying healthy througbout their cancers. Today, there are approximately 200,000 farm families in Canada. In total, 697 Canadians died in faim accidents between 1990-96, according to Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) statistics. Tractor roilovers kill many 0f ail farming bazarda, tractors f1attened tbe competition in terms of being the moat deadly. Between 1990-96, tractor rollovers killed 145 faim workers in Canada. Another 70 bast their lives after being mun over by a tractor in that time peniod. In ail, 70 per cent of deaths were caused by working witb or around huge agricultural machinery. Stili, thinga arc getting better. In 1985, 50 Ontarians loat tbefr lives to faim accidents. By 1998, tbat number had dwindled to 17. Equipment designed to minimize risk bas gone a long way toward making tbe faim a less deadly place to, live and work, So lias the efforts of organizations such as the HFSA, CFA, the Ontario Agricultural Human Resource Commiàttee and the Faim Safety Association. By coming up witb newsletters, seminars, safety conférences and tbe new Agricultural Safety Audit Programn (ASAP), these groupa are boping 10 stop death and injury from stallcing faim workers. Accidents cost "ie and money ASAP is a voluntasy take-liome checlist farmers cao use to measure tie safety of tbeir faim workplace. A big partner in tbe ASAP initiative is tbe Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. ibeir involvement is.an indication of bow faim accidents cost money. Tbey also cost time, as Mr. Patterson knows from experience. Tbougb the more hideous of faorn tragedies bave maoaged to avoîd him, lie does bave his own miniature tale of woc. "Myself, I don't like to brag, but 1 cut tbe tip of my finger off," lie kidded. Hilton Farmn Safety Association presîdent Cecl Pafterson maya farm 1f. can prove to b. peeceful and hippy, but perls can also arise. The accident occuioed wlien Mi. Patterson sensed trouble in tbe machine witb whicb lie was working. Turning il off, lie waited a few moments before poking aiound to sec wliat was wrong. Tumned out lie didn't wait quite long enougb. TIbat's because tiny blades beneath an inspection plate were stilI whirring even witb the engine shut down. "Tbey take about 10 minutes to stop tumning" said a rueful M. Patterson. 'Tliey just keep spinning and spinning until tliey finally weai themseîves down." Lots of horror atories Ini tbis case, tbey wooe Mi. Patterson down fiîst. The blades whipped tbrougli tbc tip of his finger. 'II didn't sleep for tbiee days. It wcnt riglit througb tbe bone," be said. "It's thc battle acais of being a farmer, 1 guesa." At thc lime of the accident, Mi. Patterson was no neophyte farmer. Instead, his daiiy, cash crop ami livestock faim bad been in the family for more than 100 years. He bad been running ib by himscîf sînce the early 1970s. Thougli experience la invaluable in faiming, it cao alan lead to overconfidence. Tbat's wben accidents bave been known to take place. "You do it 100 timea and you don't get atung, but you miglit get stung thc next time," aaid Mr. Patterson. "Everyone bas a bormir atory if tbey live long enougli and faim long enougli." To beai Uic yamns, opportunities for disaster liover around every turm on faons. Something as simple as uneven brake weai in tractors cao lead 10 tipping. Alan, one big storm cao stretcb ovcrliead bydro wires, causig Uiemn to sag and get tangled up in tall equipment. "If you're driving anmetbing Uiat looks taller Uian normal, look up," advised Mr. Patterson. "ýCultivators bave been known to gel cauglit up in low liaoging wires." In ordinary times, Uic riglit way to get out of a cultivator la tum around and walk Uic Uiree stepa down. Wben wioes come into the picture, juat jump. Then go to Uic main power switcli ami Mm off Uic electricity before trying to, dis- lodge Uic cultivator. Silos can kilI Silos are alan potential fatal attractions on tbe faon. "Say I've got my silo baîf full and 1 want to go in Uic next momning and clieck on it" said Mr. Patterson. "Weil, don't." That's because Uic fermentation that takes place in silos cao produce a deadly gas with Uic capability of koocking a man out permanently. "It'a a deadly, silent killer," said Mr. Patterson. "Within 20 sec- onda it tilla your lunga up with fluid." oses MISHAPS on page 18 a "li aa *Asphalt Paving -*Main Roadsa a a eInterlocking -Walkways & - - - Concrete Curba a Driveways -Excavationaaa a-Parking Lots -Grading Kvnii Y~17IfQuality &Servicie I nn__________________________ We use heavy-duty equlpment for better compaction. Ail work is guaranteed. 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