The Agricultural Health and Safety Network

In 1988, the Agricultural Health & Safety Network (The Network) began as a joint venture between the Centre for Agricultural Medicine, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (RM) and six Saskatchewan Rural Municipalities. The Network was founded with the mission “to improve health and safety on the farm through education, service and evaluation research.” Since then, the Centre for Agricultural Medicine has become the Institute of Agricultural Rural and Environmental Health (CCHSA) and the Network has grown to 194 RMs in 2009. From the Networks’ location at the University of Saskatchewan, occupational health and safety information and programs are delivered to 27,760 Saskatchewan farm families - this is more than half of all the farm families in Saskatchewan.

Rural Municipalities pay an annual fee of $3.50 per active farm family to benefit from the Network resources and services. Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture funds are combined with membership fees to develop and deliver farm health and safety educational materials and services to the Network RMs. Network staff recruit funds though granting agencies to augment Rural Municipality fees and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture funds.

Network Programs and Services

Respiratory Health Program for Farmers
An educational and respiratory screening service provided free of charge to rural residents in the Network RMs. Professionally trained staff work with farmers and their families in their local community to increase awareness of health and safety risks associated with respiratory hazards on the farm, develop methods to reduce their exposure and show how they and their family physician can monitor the effects such hazards have on their respiratory health. Respiratory Health Program Clinics for Farmers includes an educational seminar; demonstration of respiratory personal protective equipment; blood pressure and lung function screening; and counselling and referral, based on participants’ respiratory health questionnaires and screening results.

Hearing Screening Service for Farmers
The Hearing Screening Service for Farmers is provided in a format similar to the Respiratory Health Program for Farmers. Professionally trained staff work with farmers and their families in their local community to increase awareness of noise hazards on the farm, develop methods to reduce their exposure to harmful noise and show how they and their physician can monitor the effects of hazardous noise on their hearing. Hearing screening includes an educational seminar; demonstration of hearing protection; and counselling and referral, based on participants’ questionnaires and screening results.

Annual Package
An annual Package promoting health and safety on the farm is delivered to all farm families in the Network during Canadian Agricultural Safety Week. “Tractor Safety”, “Skin Health for Farmers” and “Drive Shaft Safety” are examples of Annual Package topics.

Network News
A newsletter produced and delivered twice a year to all farm families in the Network that focuses on health and safety issues in rural Saskatchewan, research updates and Network activities.

Fact sheets
Factsheets covering a wide range of farm occupational health and safety topics are available online or by request from the Network office. “Hantavirus”, “Respiratory Hazards: Molds and Fungi” and “How to Wash Clothing Used While Spraying Agrochemicals” are examples.

Farm Injury Control Summit
The Summit is an annual one day event that focuses on injury prevention in Saskatchewan Agriculture. Each year a different theme is highlighted as a means of working to eliminate death and disabling injury in Saskatchewan Agriculture.

SARM 90th Anniversary Scholarship
The Network awards this $1000 scholarship for the best farm safety essay by a rural student pursuing post-secondary education. Application forms are available at all RM offices as well online.

Speakers and displays
Speakers and displays on agricultural health and safety topics are available for council meetings, annual ratepayers’ meetings, fairs, trade shows and other events in your municipality.

Interested? Questions?
Call your RM office to request a program in your area.
To have your RM become a member, request materials or have agriculture health and safety questions answered call (306) 966-6644 or email aghealthandsafety@usask.ca.

Click here to see our membership map.