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SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 | WWW.PRODUCER.COM | THE WESTERN PRODUCER
Near death on the farm One man’s story of survival after contacting a power line
“One day, without you even knowing, in the blink of an eye, you have an injury that could have been fatal and life-changing.” – Curtis Weber
Curtis Weber doesn’t regret losing part of his right arm and left leg. It’s been 12 years since a farm incident changed his life. He says if he could relive the day there’s only one thing he would change – his awareness of workplace safety. On July 29, 1999, a 17-year-old Weber showed up for his third day on the job building grain bins near his hometown of Battleford. Having grown up building bins with his father, it was something he knew well. “We were setting up bins just out by Blaine Lake,” he says. “We were in the process of moving a hopper bottom underneath a power line and the operator didn’t put the crane down far enough and he backed into a power line.” Standing on the ground nearby, Weber was hit with 14,400 volts of electricity three separate times. He was brought to the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon where he stayed in intensive care in a coma for six weeks, followed by more than four months’ recovery in hospital. “My parents and family were told that for the first three nights, I wasn’t gonna come out of it. My kidneys failed. They had shut down. They said everything else was shutting down after that.” “They kind of threw the book at me as far as injuries were gonna go,” he says. Weber kept a positive attitude and had a miraculous recovery. While he lost body parts to the shock, he never lost his zest for life. After more than 40 operations over the course of five years, he was back doing everything
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he did before his injuries: hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, quadding and playing sports. He confesses workplace safety on or off the farm was never a main concern before the incident. “You’re not invincible. It kinda happened because I was one of those kids that had that attitude going. “You have a lot of close calls with accidents, things happening in your personal life and nothing serious ever happens. And then one day, without you even knowing, in the blink of an eye, you have an injury that could have been fatal and life-changing,” says Weber.
Changed in the blink of an eye Today, Weber is a spokesperson/trainer for the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB). He admits motivational speaking was never at the top of his list of career choices, but he loves the job. Weber travels around the province telling others about his personal journey following his injury as a teenager. He doesn’t bring much with him, just a PowerPoint presentation and a hard-hitting message – you’re not invincible. Thousands of kilometers on his company car and stacks of hotel and motel receipts are evidence he’s told his story many times. In 2010, he spoke to just under 12,000 people including 6,000 youth. He never gets tired of sharing his story. Weber will do anything to prevent an injury.
It didn’t have to happen Weber knows his injuries were avoidable. And that’s one of SaskPower’s main beliefs when it comes to safety – all incidents are preventable. “I could have prevented it from happening to myself,” he says. At the time, he knew moving bins with a crane was unsafe and a waste of time. “When I worked for dad we used to drag hopper bottoms around with a work truck all the time,” he says. “If I could go back, obviously I’d say, ‘Hey, you know there’s a safe way to do this and it’s easier.’” He can’t stress the importance of speaking up enough. Young people aged 15 to 24 are at higher risk of having an injury because they’re inexperienced and are often afraid to ask questions. If he could go back in time, Weber would speak up and make safety a priority.
Safe doesn’t have to be a four-letter word Weber wants to ensure everyone goes home safely at the end of the day. SaskPower shares Weber’s concern for safety. Glenda Barton, SaskPower Chief Safety Officer, stresses everyone is responsible for staying safe and taking personal action by planning ahead and noting any electrical hazards and risks before starting any work. “We strongly encourage farmers to take a few moments for safety before starting any work,” Barton says. “Locate all overhead power lines, plan your work