On Tuesday March 22, 2011, Gary Van Bolderen and Dan Reymer represented the CFBA at a meeting with the Poultry Service Association.

The Poultry Service Association, in conjunction with the Chicken Farmers of Ontario and several other agencies, have published a Safe Work Practices manual for the broiler chicken industry. This document is intended to increase safety in their workplace, provide safe work practices to follow when working on a broiler farm,  and to create a guideline for training.

Their next step is to implement change at the building design stage which will further improve the safety and productivity of the poultry workers when unloading, catching, or loading birds. 

Some examples of design guidelines that they are looking to have implemented would include; door spacing at 50' O/C with the first door 25' from the front of the barn, second storey ramp heights not to exceed 10', wider doors to load birds, dimmable exterior lights at each door, and the ability to turn off individual fans.  

The Poultry Service Association have compiled a guide "Recommendations for Broiler Barn and Yard Design". 

The CFBA has offered their support as the Poultry Service Association lobbies other organizations to help implement the changes which will improve the safety and welfare of all those involved in this industry.