Several witnesses raised concerns about older equipment that has not been retrofitted with newer safety devices. Bill Reed, of the Agricultural and Bio-resource Engineering Department at the University of Saskatchewan, suggested that equipment manufacturers may hesitate to make expensive modifications because it would put them at a competitive disadvantage. He argued that, in some cases, it would be a good idea to make laws requiring manufacturers to incorporate new safety features and safety decals. Members of the committee agreed that legislation can promote the safe use of farm equipment, but pointed out that these matters are under provincial jurisdiction and that efforts should be harmonized between provinces. National standards, which are not legally binding unless referred to in regulations, could also play an important role, the committee concluded.
Accidents involving large farm machines cause countless injuries on Canadian farms each year.
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry is a group of senators that regularly investigates concerns related to these two industries on behalf of the Senate. When the Senate wants a subject examined, it prepares an Order of Reference instructing the committee what to investigate and when to report back to the Senate. A number of senators on the committee became very interested in farm health issues following several conferences on the subject given by the Centre for Agricultural Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. The committee is now waiting for the current session of the Senate to decide on the work it should do next. Senate committee recommendations do not usually carry the same weight as those made by House of Commons committees, but they often serve to heighten awareness of issues and can be valuable ammunition for those seeking to lobby the government.