Gregory Encina Billikopf
Safety publications are available free or at a nominal charge from APMP Area Farm Advisors Steve Sutter, Fresno County (phone 209/488-3285) and Gregory Billikopf, Stanislaus County (phone 209/525-6654). One such publication is the sample "Safety Program" on the facing page, which can be obtained in a packet of training forms in English and Spanish for $2 from Steve Sutter (make checks payable to County of Fresno).
Although the word about SB 198 has been out for a while, some farmers are still scrambling to come up with a written safety program to comply with Cal/OSHA requirements. A few suggestions to farmers are: (1) base the program on the safety needs of your operation and employees; (2) make the plan simple and practical - one that catches the employees' attention; and (3) follow through with it.
Some farm safety training focuses on teaching employees about safe practices with new work methods or equipment. A substantial part of any safety training program is to remind employees about what they already know but tend to forget when in a hurry.
Most people give little thought to injury and death. That is good, since it does not help to be paralyzed by fear. Nevertheless, farming is a hazardous occupation, and it is considerably more so where necessary precautions are not taken.
Just telling someone to be safe does not go far in causing behavioral changes. Safety training in itself does not prevent accidents. But if it captures the employees' attention, training can lead to changes in attitude and, in turn, to changes in accident-causing behavior.
Tell welders to be safe and wear eye-protective gear, and some of them will. Be more specific, and more will pay attention. Remind welders, for instance, that many slag-generated eye injuries happen after they have lifted their welding hoods, when they are making that last chip-cleaning stroke.
Perhaps even better, show welders a slide, photo, or video of a person with a piece of slag in his or her eye. Effective safety training helps workers visualize the accident and put themselves in the place of the injured person. The real prospect of going blind or of having slag removed from the eye can be potent preventive medicine.
People forget fast, so keeping safe habits alive is a challenge. Short, frequent training - but not so short that no substance is covered - spread out throughout the year is generally more effective than a single, long meeting. Frequent meetings both inform workers about how to avoid injury and remind them of the farmer's commitment to safe practices. Seasonal meetings can be tailored to specific agricultural activities.
It is useful to involve workers in safety meetings. Encourage them to ask questions and, if they don't, query them to test their understanding. Try to involve as many workers as possible. (Farmers sometimes ask if safety training meetings can be held after work, when workers are not paid. This is not an effective practice, from either a management or a legal perspective.)
Finally, when it comes to identification of safety hazards, it is critical to follow through and take preventive measures. Identifying a missing shield from a PTO shaft will do little to reduce accidents unless it is followed by action - replacing the shields.
An effective safety program can benefit agricultural operations by increasing the farmer's peace of mind, reducing workers' compensation experience ratings, and enhancing protection for the farmer, family members, employees, equipment, and commodities. Remember, although there are minimum standards set by SB 198, you may be held to a higher safety standard if you set it in policies for your operation. It is advisable to keep the program simple but grounded in the structure of a particular operation.
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