How much is it going to cost farmers to comply with the OHSA? Will the new legislation put farmers out of business?
For some employers there may be some costs related to compliance with the new requirements; however, from our recent discussions with the industry, many operators already appear to be doing what the law will require. Farmers have until June 30, 2006 to learn about the new requirements and to bring their operations into compliance, where necessary. The new requirements will help prevent workplace injuries and fatalities, and overall, should lead to cost savings for employers such as paying lower insurance premiums to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Currently the WSIB estimates that the average cost of a workplace accident is about $59,000.
