CN and U of S team up to reduce agricultural injuries

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

During the past 10 years, 1,200 adults and children have died in farm-related accidents in Canada, and almost 15,000 have suffered disabling injuries.

The Canadian National Railway Company, better known as CN, decided it wants to do something about these bleak statistics – and it is putting its money where its mouth is.

The corporation has announced a $500,000 donation to the University of Saskatchewan to establish the Agricultural Injury Control Program (AICP). The program will be managed by the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA) on the university campus.

The objective of the AICP is to help reduce agricultural injuries and fatalities by bridging the gap between research and education. It will provide essential information to farm families and agricultural workers about air, food and water contamination, as well as adverse working conditions.

Dr. Jim Dosman, Program Leader and Director of the CCHSA, said, “Through this partnership with CN, we hope to see a 20-per-cent reduction in agriculture deaths in Saskatchewan and Canada over the next five years. I applaud CN for leading the way in this world-class Canadian-based health and safety initiative.”

CN has been working with the University of Saskatchewan to promote health and safety in agriculture since the early 1990s, when it helped to establish the university’s Centre for Agricultural Medicine, the forerunner of the CCHSA.

“CN has strong ties to the province of Saskatchewan and agricultural communities across Canada,” said E. Hunter Harrison, CN’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re happy to announce a significant donation to this farm safety partnership with the University of Saskatchewan.”

CN has a wide-ranging rail safety program, and also supports several national and provincial community safety associations. The CCHSA’s overall research and development program is supported by the University of Saskatchewan, the Government of Saskatchewan, the Government of Canada, the private sector and Saskatchewan rural municipalities.

For further information, contact:

Jim Feeney, Senior Manager, Public and Government Affairs
Canadian National Railway Company
Phone: (780) 910-0098

Dr. James Dosman, Director, Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-8286