Bill 6

snopro

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I cant confirm this first hand but was told by a fellow farmer that went to a town hall meeting on Bill 6 that OH&S will have 10,000 inspectors following up on compliance. This is 1 inspector for every 4 farms. First offence is $5000, second $50,000 and third is $500,000? I guess we know where the money will be coming from for the added inspectors hired?
 

CUSO

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Remember the war amps commercial?? The kid with no arms because of a farming accident?

I am not sure if you are aware of safety programs, but a business should always implement a safety program..

I hate the NDP as much as you, but some things should be tended to.

Haulers should have WCB. If they are a sub-contractor, then be it so... I have all my sub contractors abide by WCB protocol... Why not you?

I don't think any farmer is trying to cut corners on safety. Accidents are called accidents for a reason. The main argument I am hearing from other farm folks is the stupidity of some of the text in the Bill. My grandson can no longer follow me around the farm, ride in the combine or tractor because of his age and the imaginary buffer zone around our house imposed by the government. My grain haulers now will have to provide to me proof they have paid there WCB dues before they can enter my property to haul my grain. Even 4H is affected by this, hunters wanting to access my land. Its crazy. And there is no way my wife will be wearing steel toed boots, a safety vest, and a hard hat to run me out lunch to the field. Its not about safety. Its about the NDP's push for unions and the dues that go with it.
 

Ol' Sarge

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Local grown produce co-ops and farmer's markets will suffer with this. The organic granola crowd will be squealing. They probably haven't realized that they've shot themselves in the foot yet.
 

snopro

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Remember the war amps commercial?? The kid with no arms because of a farming accident?

I am not sure if you are aware of safety programs, but a business should always implement a safety program..

I hate the NDP as much as you, but some things should be tended to.

Haulers should have WCB. If they are a sub-contractor, then be it so... I have all my sub contractors abide by WCB protocol... Why not you?
Not saying they shouldn't but why should they have to prove it everytime they pull onto my property? I understand I am at fault if something happens and they aren't paid up? Why?
 

Absledder

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So what is the answer Cuso in regards to the horrible tragedy of the 3 girls in central Alta? Lock em in the house? We all played in grain as kids and are hear to tell about it, I still dont understand how this even happened? I understand they were in the back of a 3 ton truck. Was the truck being loaded? Were they playing hide and seek? Does anyone on the site have any info on this? I cant understand how 3 kids can die in a 3 ton box??
Not an expert by any means so please don't get offended but I think we would have answers to how and why it happened if it was investigated by ohs. I'm sure the police did an investigation, but at the end there was no public results or recommendations for how to prevent tragedies like that from occurring again. At work we get alerts all the time from accidents that occurred all over North America that have clear reasons for the accident and how to prevent them. Like I said earlier I don't know all the details of the bill and in my opinion more consultation should have been done but the point still stands that farm safety needs work. Maybe not as much redundant safety as the oilfield but more than it has now.

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ABMax24

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Not saying they shouldn't but why should they have to prove it everytime they pull onto my property? I understand I am at fault if something happens and they aren't paid up? Why?

You should only have to check once, as long as they had WCB they are covered, if one of the employees gets hurt WCB will cover them and then sue the owner of the company. I believe there is a website to check to ensure the WCB has been paid, but if they are a subcontractor most of the liability falls on them.
 

catalac

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I cant confirm this first hand but was told by a fellow farmer that went to a town hall meeting on Bill 6 that OH&S will have 10,000 inspectors following up on compliance. This is 1 inspector for every 4 farms. First offence is $5000, second $50,000 and third is $500,000? I guess we know where the money will be coming from for the added inspectors hired?
My god that's nuts. Nothead has disassociated the two largest economies of Alberta oil and farming, good work you dumb kunt.
 

Joholio

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So what is the answer Cuso in regards to the horrible tragedy of the 3 girls in central Alta? Lock em in the house? We all played in grain as kids and are hear to tell about it, I still dont understand how this even happened? I understand they were in the back of a 3 ton truck. Was the truck being loaded? Were they playing hide and seek? Does anyone on the site have any info on this? I cant understand how 3 kids can die in a 3 ton box??

Truck was being unloaded. One went in the others went in to help. They are our neighbours 3 miles NW of here. The oldest Catie was our sitter for the last year. Their little brother was there and saw everything. I dont even want to think about it or speculate further. I wasnt there. So sad.

I believe every farm in Western Canada is thinking more about safety these days but I dont think more government is the answer in this delicate balance of farming and finances. Especially with our premier, that cunt, throwing the screws to everybody lately.
 

snopro

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You should only have to check once, as long as they had WCB they are covered, if one of the employees gets hurt WCB will cover them and then sue the owner of the company. I believe there is a website to check to ensure the WCB has been paid, but if they are a subcontractor most of the liability falls on them.
I think its time to take a harder look at retirement. Lol.
 

Ol' Sarge

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Remember the war amps commercial?? The kid with no arms because of a farming accident?

I am not sure if you are aware of safety programs, but a business should always implement a safety program..

I hate the NDP as much as you, but some things should be tended to.

Haulers should have WCB. If they are a sub-contractor, then be it so... I have all my sub contractors abide by WCB protocol... Why not you?
You're mixing up 2 separate issues. If it's coverage for hired workers you're worried about the WCB option has been available for farmers for years now and I even know some large operations that use it. It's the compulsory nature and coverage for family that has got everyone bent. It simply won't work on a family farming operation. And if you are really concerned about the loss of life in this province then direct it where the real slaughter occurs….roads. Surely we can make everyone wear a full-face helmet and a 5 point harness before they drive. Think how many lives that would save. Oh wait…that won't add anyone to the civil service unions so scrap that.
 

ABMax24

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You're mixing up 2 separate issues. If it's coverage for hired workers you're worried about the WCB option has been available for farmers for years now and I even know some large operations that use it. It's the compulsory nature and coverage for family that has got everyone bent. It simply won't work on a family farming operation. And if you are really concerned about the loss of life in this province then direct it where the real slaughter occurs….roads. Surely we can make everyone wear a full-face helmet and a 5 point harness before they drive. Think how many lives that would save. Oh wait…that won't add anyone to the civil service unions so scrap that.

So you're saying its perfectly acceptable for a child to risk receiving a permanently debilitating injury on the family farm with no compensation? The WCB premiums are a max of 3% of wages, so you pay your child $20,000/yr that now cost $600/yr in premiums, is it really worth not having it? Personally I would want to go to greater lengths to protect family than just some employee, but that's just me.
 

teeroy

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Bogger

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I cant confirm this first hand but was told by a fellow farmer that went to a town hall meeting on Bill 6 that OH&S will have 10,000 inspectors following up on compliance. This is 1 inspector for every 4 farms. First offence is $5000, second $50,000 and third is $500,000? I guess we know where the money will be coming from for the added inspectors hired?

I call BS on the 10,000 inspectors Alberta OHS has less than 200 OHS officers total, it was 143 in 2014 but I know there was a push to hire 40-60 more.

You should only have to check once, as long as they had WCB they are covered, if one of the employees gets hurt WCB will cover them and then sue the owner of the company. I believe there is a website to check to ensure the WCB has been paid, but if they are a subcontractor most of the liability falls on them.

You can pull up WCB clearance certificates on your phone now in real time.

You're mixing up 2 separate issues. If it's coverage for hired workers you're worried about the WCB option has been available for farmers for years now and I even know some large operations that use it. It's the compulsory nature and coverage for family that has got everyone bent. It simply won't work on a family farming operation. And if you are really concerned about the loss of life in this province then direct it where the real slaughter occurs….roads. Surely we can make everyone wear a full-face helmet and a 5 point harness before they drive. Think how many lives that would save. Oh wait…that won't add anyone to the civil service unions so scrap that.

If this is truly the case I disagree with the logic. OHS and WCB are meant to govern employer employee relationships. I would think that any family member could be considered a "partner" in the business and therefore WCB coverage is optional, WCB coverage is typically only required for paid employees and for the coverage the worker waives the right to sue the employer in the event they are injured. WCB also only covers "work activities" done "on behalf of the employer" not sure how snowmobiling or hunting will be effected or require WCB. A worker is not covered by WCB if he ventures out of his way during his normal shift to get a coffee or does not take the most direct route between 2 workplaces pretty sure they would deny a weekend snowmobile claim.

Whenever you go to the doctor they ask you "were you at work when this happed?" YES triggers WCB paperwork NO then AB health foots the bill. I envision very little enforcement of this for the most part even in construction you will rarely see an officer unless there was a complaint or a serious incident, they simply do not have the time.

And as for the "grain bin a confined space???" Fawk yes it is - just look at the stats. and according to OHS all you need is a code of practice which you can basicly create online using the OHS template in under 20 mins. the biggest thing is a rescue plan and someone watching the entrance with a means of communication in case something goes wrong..... does not seem unreasonable to me.
 

kovs

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If the smaller farms don't /can't make a go of it. Do you really think with all the rules this bill c6 is going to impose that a corporate farm can make it and profit, they will need 2x as many employees to get the work done, who pays for that ??
The big corporate farms here in sask have went belly up so can't see that working in ab


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Bogger

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Can a family farm claim the would be wages of hours worked by family (spouses & children) as a tax deductible expense?

I don't know the answer but if they can I suspect I know the root cause of the push back.

Don't get me wrong I dislike her and her party but farm safety has been on the radar for years, Thomas Lukaszuk was supposed to do something about it back in 2010. I get the not wanting an officer to be able to enter private property without due cause (this was always the argument against OHS on farms) but in the event of an incident an investigation including learnings, corrective actions and accountability is a must.
 

Bounce

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Bogger, WCB is a non-issue, my farm has had it for almost 5 years. The issue as I see it is conforming to OH&S rules. They have to be modified to the farm. Other province's, such as Saskatchewan have farm policies in place. To bad this Government did not take the time to look at other provinces or consult farmers. All we ask for is the proper time to develop a policy that will work for farm's. This current Government does not have a clue about farming, not one MLA with a farm background. Instead of Agriculture minister bringing out legislation it is the job's minister. You cannot lump farm's in current OH&S rules, we cannot conform. The way I see it, all the Government wants to do is create a union for farm workers, it has nothing to do with safety!
 

007sevens

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I agree with you here Bounce, Its the speed that they are pushing, even Brad Wall has asked to review the Bill repeatedly. The way it is written can be translated a few different ways and none make any sense to the local Farm.

A corporate farm is a little different but WCB has always been an option to all employees. OH&S and the NDP Gov't in Alberta will not have a clue what it takes to run a farm. WHY? They never asked. Just like everybody wanting to bring up the incident of the three children that passed......God Rest there Soles. They made a mistake and a consequence came from it. Is it tragic?....Absolutely. Would OH&S have made all the difference for these young kids making their mistake not happen? Very Questionable. They weren't employee's. Would OH&S sue that farmer for neglect PROBABLY. The thing here is it is a family farm and if you don't know what a family farm operates like your not in a position to talk about it. You are just as dumb for not asking questions before making judgment. Farm safety has evolved just the same as any industry. I would lay money down that my 10 year old, 14 year old, or 17 year boy could show some of you more safety concerns on a farm then anybody whom never spent time on one.

The next thing coming to us is that the kids won't be allowed to run a quad, lawn mower, small yard tractor, or any of the other small jobs we have gave them that they gladly have done in the past because OH&S has deemed it to be unfit.

I suspect it will get passed and the next govt will clean up the mess cause this BITCH IS CLUELESS. She has no business in Gov't and will be the bench mark for the worst Premier to grace this province. We will all put Ralph at the top but most seem to forget how he got it done and what party he work for.

The people of agriculture are being dealt a huge injustice and have and are being out numbered by a bunch of people that have no clue in this matter.

It is truly a sad thing to think that this may just push the rest of the family farms to the way of commercial farming.

Get ready folks, enjoy your over priced grocery bill and remember you voted them in.

OH and don't forget that $50 dollar sirloin at the grill in town. You bet its coming.
 
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