COMMUNICATION: Investing in safety always pays long-term dividends

voice any limitations for completing a particular job. Chevraux explains that he once had a worker who had a fear of heights and couldn’t climb the grain bins. Arrangements were made so that particular worker would not have to climb the bins.

“If I don’t pay attention to those kinds of things, I know that worker isn’t coming back the next day,” Chevraux says.

“I always tell our crew that if you have a problem, come and get me first. It’s important to be conscious that there are limitations to what people are comfortable doing and their comfort level comes up the more you spend time training them and making sure they understand the safety elements.”

Encouraging those conversations to occur in the first place is essential. Chevraux notes that the key is not to demean or invalidate someone’s concerns or questions. After all, making people apprehensive to voice their hesitations is a sure-fire way to end up with safety issues.

“It’s important to make it so that every person working on the farm is comfortable with coming to you and expressing their concerns with a job,” he explains, adding that a safety meeting is held before the start of harvest to review plans and identify any concerns. “You want to encourage that behaviour, not belittle them or make them feel forced to do something they’re not comfortable with, because that’s an easy path to having accidents if people start holding things back from you.”

It’s no secret that even the most experienced farmers can make mistakes. That’s why, on Chevraux’s farm, there’s an emphasis on fostering a team environment where everyone looks out for one another, and crew members are urged to double-check one another’s work to help spot errors.

“Just like anyone else,

I’m not immune to making mistakes, but working together we can catch those mistakes before they become a big issue,” says Chevraux. “And because I allow and expect them to check my work, they know that I’m going to check their work. It’s not meant as a slight against anyone. But mistakes happen, and little issues develop into big issues if they don’t get resolved right away.”

While farm safety is sometimes perceived as daunting, Chevraux says that doesn’t have to be the case when safety is ingrained into daily activities. A prime example is how supper is brought out to the field during harvest on Chevraux’s farm, which is more than just a meal – it’s also intended as an opportunity for everyone to take a much-needed break.

“It used to be that you would try to eat a sandwich while driving the equipment. Now, we bring supper out and it’s insisted that for at least a half an hour, everyone gets off their equipment and we have a chance to relax and chat about what’s going on,” explains Chevraux, who credits his wife, Heather, for initiating the idea.

“There are lots of benefits to having supper in the field, but the main one is that it gives everyone a break. That half hour break makes a world of a difference.”

When it comes to investing in farm safety, questions about the return on investment of safety practices are often brought up. But it’s an investment that inevitably brings long-term advantages to any farm. For Chevraux, that return on investment means not only ensuring the continued success and longevity of his farm but also, and more importantly, the well-being of his workers.

“For me, safety is just part of good management; it’s part of the package of managing a farm,” Chevraux says, noting that he ensures all machinery on his farm is outfitted with first aid kits, fire extinguishers, and any necessary protective equipment.

“I always tell people, my crew doesn’t work for me, they work with me. It comes down to looking out for one another and I am as concerned about them as I am about my family. They aren’t numbered employees; they are friends and colleagues. And you don’t purposefully put your friends and colleagues in danger. You just don’t.”

ↆ Every year, Canadian Agricultural Safety Association raises awareness about the importance of safety on Canadian farms through Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW), which takes place during the third week of March. In 2024, CASW takes place March 10

16, and is sponsored by CN, Syngenta Canada, Canadian Canola Growers Association, Fertilizer Canada, and Parrish & Heimbecker.