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On-line farm safety training now available

May 7, 2015, Winnipeg – The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is offering three online farm safety training courses free of charge until May 31, 2015 courtesy of Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and the Canadian Fertilizer Institute (CFI).

Each year, CASA and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) partner to present Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW).

CASW is an annual public education campaign focusing on the importance of safe agriculture. The 2015 theme “Be the Difference” encourages all Canadians to make a difference for farm safety.

However, CASA acknowledges that farm safety isn’t just about one week. Farm safety is important 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. That’s why CASA continues to “Be the Difference” and has developed three different on-line farm training courses.

“Farmers and farm workers can access this training directly from their home computers,” says Marcel Hacault, executive director of CASA. “We know that removing barriers to training is an important part of improving the safety of Canadian farmers.”

Additionally, CASA has teamed up with FCC and CFI to make all three training courses available at no cost until the end of this month.

“We are committed to helping producers and the agriculture industry achieve success, and that includes keeping people safe when doing farm work,” says Brenda Stasuik, FCC director of Corporate Social Responsibility. “We’re pleased to offer these training courses to empower farmers and their families to stay safe on the farm.”

“The safe and responsible storage, distribution and use of fertilizer products supports global food production. Our industry is proud to work with organizations including CASA to raise the profile of safe agriculture practices, and fertilizer safety year-round,” says Clyde Graham, acting president of the Canadian Fertilizer Institute.

The three training courses available are:

•  Agricultural Machinery Safeguarding.

• Seasonal Agricultural Workers Health and Safety Orientation.

• Working in Confined Spaces on the Farm.
 
Once registered, participants have the option of taking one or all of the courses offered. Each course takes approximately 45-60 minutes to complete and offers a quiz at the end of the learning experience. Currently, the on-line training is available in English.

After May 31, 2015, the courses will still be available, but at a charge. To access the new on-line training courses, please visit casa-acsa.ca and click “Training.”

CASW 2015 was presented by Farm Credit Canada and developed by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture with assistance from the Government of Canada through Growing Forward 2, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative.

In 2015, CASW sponsors include long-time corporate sponsor Farm Credit Canada, Imperial Oil and its Esso Branded Resellers, Ag for Life, Canadian Fertilizer Institute, Dupont Pioneer, Viterra and Brandt.

For more information about CASW please visit agsafetyweek.ca.