The Rural Voice, 2002-03, Page 54FARM SAFETY WEEK
March 13-20, 2002
is Canadian Agricultural Safety week and this year's
theme is
"Safety While Handling Livestock"
An important message to this theme is that practical experience is the best
way to learn some skills, but in other situations, learning by experience is just
too dangerous. Farmers who have handled animals over long periods of time,
develop a "feel" or understanding of animals and their ways, however there
are some general rules of handling livestock that should be followed at all
levels of experience. And remember, handling methods may vary
significantly with different types of livestock.
Farm Safety in Canada
On average, 118 people are killed and another 1,727 are seriously injured by farm -related
accidents in Canada each year - and many more minor injuries are never reported. The sad fact
remains that farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world.
FLIGHT ZONE DOONANRY
1
11
•
4S.i
/, POINT OF
90• � EuiAncE
®P7SITION TO STOP MOVEMENT
1 POSITION TO BT. LT MoEEMENT
Understanding the flight zone and point of balance can
reduce stress to livestock and help prevent accidents to
handlers. The "flight zone" is the animal's personal space and
can be determined by slowly walking up to the animal. When
a person enters the flight zone, the animal will move away in
the opposite direction. Deeply invading the flight zone will
cause the animal to become afraid and possibly agitated. The
size of the flight zone will diminish as the animal receives
frequent, gentle handling. The animal's "point of balance" is in
the chest area. To make an animal move forward, the handler
should stand behind the point of balance; and, likewise to
cause the animal to back up, the handler should stand in front
of the point of balance.
All grazing animals have wide-angle vision, but
cannot see directly behind themselves - their "blind
spot". Nature's way of protecting the blind spot was
to create the "kick zone" which is the area that can
be reached by the hind legs with a kicking motion.
Livestock handlers should become familiar with the
blind spot and kick zone of the species they are
dealing with as they can vary from one type of
animal to another.
50 THE RURAL VOICE