Agency reaches out on farm safety

AgSafe Alberta Society appointed Jody Wacowich as its first executive director last month, asking her to help strengthen farm and ranch safety culture across the province.

The organization aims to develop programs around new safety guidelines laid out as part of Bill 6, controversial legislation that extended occupational health and safety as well as workers’ compensation coverage to paid non-family farm employees.

In this edited, condensed interview, Wacowich speaks to Postmedia ahead of taking on her new role Aug. 7.

Q What major challenges do you expect to face as you develop safety programs?

A I think the frustration that farmers have with the plan and the Bill 6 legislation, not knowing how they’re going to apply that on a farm or if that’s going to cost them ... It’ll be working with them to overcome that and build a safety culture. There’s a lot of concern from the family farm side ... even to hire someone to look after the farm to go away on holiday.

Q Why is Bill 6 necessary?

A It’s an opportunity, where farms are hiring employees, to have some clear-cut explanations of how things should be done so you are safe. It’s about formalizing some of that. Every industry in the province does it. I’ve been one of those employees where you have to go through the safety training ... I have that in the back of my head when I’m working.

Q What are you hoping to teach producers that they might not already know?

A The key thing is to support producers in the process. What AgSafe has are the resources to make it easier for them and consultants who will come out and say “These are hazards and maybe you can approach it this way.” Hopefully, there are some opportunities to meet with safety groups in the province from other sectors to see if there are things we can utilize that they’re already doing.

Q What are you most excited about working on?

A I’m looking forward to working with producers from all the commodities again. In the last five years, I’ve been primarily involved with grain producers in the Three Hills area (with Carbon Alberta), so I’m excited to spend a little more time across the province and work with livestock, grain, all those things.