Raymond Serna Speaks on Farm Safety

Raymond Serna Speaks on Farm Safety

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

Raymond Serna used to farm with his brother, George on a farm near Two Hills. He retired from farming 10 years ago. They farmed 1800 acres of land and they owned 180 cows and six bulls.

“Farm safety today is a matter of operator fatigue. Now, with this modern Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment, at times it is quite tedious to sit on the machine for a long time.

be to never get off the machine when it is running; shut the machine off and then get off the machine. Also, make sure you are not wearing any loose clothing; always wear tight clothing and make sure none of your clothing is loose or hanging. Another important tip is not to work too many hours because then a person gets tired and a lot of accidents happen when people are tired. Limit yourself to working during the day if possible.

“Whether it is seeding, haymaking, or combining, it is all weather-related. We have to cram work into each season so we can finish doing it and get into the next season. But it is still wise to try to limit the hours you work.

“Some safety tips for seeding are when you are seeding is watch not to inhale the chemicals the seed is treated with. If you have to handle the seeds, you should wear a mask when you are seeding. Then if you are spraying chemicals, you should wear four-way coveralls and try not to get into contact with any of the chemicals’ odour or vapor. That is a definite one for seeding.

“With haying, do not put your hand or limp into moving parts or dangerous places where it could get caught. Then with the baler, don’t run the baler when you are off the tractor because a baler has a part that if it grabs you, you are finished.”

When I asked Raymond how he feels farmers should deal with their mental health with the COVID-19 pandemic happening and all the other challenges that are related to farming, he said, “Basically, just relax and take things as they come. You can surpass COVID-19 a bit by cooperating but otherwise, we have to accept it, it is presently a way of life. We just have to be careful not to get infected.”

He went on to say that accidents happen on the farm, however, it is common sense and knowledge that will help to prevent a lot of accidents.

Despite all the challenges involved, Raymond said he enjoyed farming.

“There were times that were rough but there were a lot of good times. I like farming because it is very seasonal and it doesn’t get monotonous. You finish one season; you are looking forward to the next season. That is what motivates farmers. I think farming is a great occupation and a great lifestyle. We were always looking forward to expending our farm. However, the economical situation of farming is not very good as everything we buy depreciates. We have no control over the products that we sell. We cannot set a price on what we produce and we cannot set a price on what we buy. So, basically, we are selling at raw material price and we are buying at full retail price. So, there is a big gap in between to try to make money in a financial situation like that.”