Richard Bruce
Common themes run through all recommendations on health and safety in agriculture - the importance, for example, of the employer's strong commitment to the safety program, good communication and cooperation among workers, availability and use of protective clothing and safety equipment, and operation of equipment only by qualified workers. But as the following examples suggest, training and equipment modification also need to be site-specific to be successful - tailored to the setting and the technology used.
Richard Bruce, owner of Specialty Safety Training, Gerber, conducts safety training of farm workers in English and Spanish in northern California.
Preventing Accidents
Insufficient training and failure to follow necessary precautions have contributed to many accidents in agriculture. Some have resulted in death or disabling injuries that might not have happened if forethought had been applied and preventive measures taken. Others have had much milder consequences, often because procedures were in place to avoid serious harm. The goal of a safety program is to prevent accidents altogether, but when they do occur, attention to specifics can make a big difference in the outcome, as illustrated by several incidents that have recently come to my attention.
In the Yuba City area, a labor contractor's worker on a pruning tower was electrocuted when he got up into high-tension lines. It is important to warn workers to stay at least 10 feet away from power lines. Not just employees, but also labor contractors and other outside labor on the ranch need to be informed about high-tension lines and any other known hazards.
Not turning machinery off and using lockout/blockout procedures to keep it from starting up again while working on it has caused several disabling accidents, including some in northern California rice processing mills. In one, a worker lost a large portion of his foot in an auger in a bin when someone else inadvertently turned on the machinery. At another rice dryer, an employee lost half his leg when his foot was caught in an auger after a floor guard broke. Another mill worker lost partial use of his hand after getting it caught while trying to clean feed rolls while the machine was running.
But lockout/blockout is for all equipment, not just rice processors. A few months ago, a worker in northern California lost part of his arm by trying to remove foreign material from onion equipment without turning it off. In an almond huller operation, although lockout was not used, blockout was, and that probably prevented more serious injury to a worker's arm. The employee was cleaning out green hulls from beaters and thought the safety switch on the door would keep the beaters from starting with the door open. But when another worker hit reset, his arm was broken in three places. By company policy, a pipe was always placed in the beaters when they were being cleaned or repaired to prevent much movement if the machine did start. Since this accident, the grower has installed a switch with a lockout near the beaters where it is easy to get to. Also, a buzzer has been installed in the start button panel. When a start button is pushed, the buzzer sounds, followed by a short delay before the equipment starts.
Lockout/blockout mechanisms can be used on tractors, choppers, pickups, etc., as well as dryers and hullers. These guidelines should be followed by everyone, including owners, managers, and foremen: (1) If a piece of equipment is being cleaned, serviced, or repaired, it should be locked, the key removed or locked out, and a tag left warning not to start the machine. Turning off a power take-off is not enough; the engine needs to be turned off too. (2) Equipment that could roll, fall, or turn should be blocked to prevent movement rather than relying on its being off or up on jacks. (3) All air or hydraulic pressure should be relieved before disconnecting or servicing.
Differing outcomes in two pesticide spraying accidents show the importance of having the necessary protection and following recommended safety procedures. In one incident, a worker was strip spraying without his gloves and without wash water available. When the tank was empty, he got off the sprayer, folded up the booms with his bare hands, and then went to the bathroom without washing his hands. The result was severe irritation to contacted skin. In the other, a worker applying a pesticide noticed that the hose was loose near the hand gun and tried to push the hose back on. The worker should have kept the pump pressure as low as possible and turned off the pump before trying to fix the hose, but he didn't. High pump pressure caused the hose to blow off, and the pesticide soaked the worker's face, running down into his eyes and around his face mask. Fortunately, the grower had installed a clean water tank and hand soap on the sprayer. The worker was able to wash his hands and face right away with soap and water and wash out his eyes. Someone then took him and the spray label to a doctor. It was two hours before the worker was seen by the doctor, but the immediate washing had been enough to control the damage. Without the water tank, permanent eye damage might have occurred. Clean water and soap should be carried on all spray rigs. Do not use empty antifreeze or chemical containers.
Even in cabs, or when strip spraying with the nozzle pointed down, the worker needs to use all the required safety equipment. A worker who is going to service equipment, clean nozzles, or do anything that entails contact with spray or equipment must use all protective gear. These precautions are also necessary for workers who will be in the field during reentry.
Safety Considerations in Harvesting
One of the biggest complaints I hear from owners is that workers do not report equipment problems or damage. One of the biggest complaints I hear from workers is that owners or mechanics get very upset when told about equipment problems. Both have their points, and there can be no doubt that the best way to have a safe workplace is to encourage good communication. I always get a positive reception from workers when they see that someone is taking a personal interest in their safety.
Growers get really busy, especially during harvest, and it is easy not to notice something that might cause an accident. That's why help from the workers is essential. For example, last year during safety training of a hand-sorting crew on a walnut huller, it was pointed out that a cross conveyor could catch their clothing. Workers agreed it was a problem. When notified, the owner immediately fixed the problem before starting the machine.
No matter how busy they are, owners and managers find it well worth their time to anticipate where equipment failures might occur and do some preventive maintenance. Trucks used during harvest, for example, often are not used the rest of the year. They need to be checked before harvesting begins to see that they are in safe condition, especially brakes and steering. And be sure the drivers are qualified. Before the harvest, it is also worthwhile for an owner to check for potential hazards at the work site - take a good look around the orchard, for example, by driving through on a tractor.
Limbs may be a hazard for operators of equipment without cabs, such as tractors and choppers, as well as sweepers and pickup machines and shakers. Protective bars or other protection can be installed. Head protection for workers is needed if there is a chance of flying tree limbs. Eye protection is recommended on most jobs, and dust masks if working in dust.
Almost all machines make ear protection necessary. In recent checks with a decibel meter, we found that older tractors run at about 100 to 110 decibels. The newest tractors are much quieter but still run in the 90- to 95-decibel range. Chain saws run at 105 to 116. At 90 decibels, ear damage begins after 8 hours. For each 5-decibel increase, that time is cut in half (95 = 4 hours; 100 = 2 hours; 110 = 0.5 hour). Most harvest equipment probably runs in these upper ranges.
The following selection of specific tips illustrates the attention to detail, ingenuity, and vigilance required to avoid common hazards during harvest:
Heat Stress
Another concern of growers, and an important part of revised worker protection guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is heat stress in agricultural work. Those performing strenuous physical labor, especially when wearing protective gear and carrying equipment, are particularly susceptible. People working in agriculture should be familiar with the symptoms and treatment of heat illness, especially heat stroke, which can result in death.
Conclusion
Although agricultural production technologies have many inherent dangers, accidents and health problems can be prevented with careful planning and adherence to safety procedures. Managing for safe operation involves giving attention to both physical conditions and human behaviors. Regularly scheduled discussions between safety advisors and managers, foremen, and owners, along with inspections of work sites for potential hazards, are steps in the right direction. Keeping the lines of communication open between managers and employees is a must.
Too often neglected is the need to transform general cautions and prescriptions into specific guidelines that fit conditions on individual farms and ranches. The effort and creativity devoted to customizing safety procedures pay off big for both employer and workers.
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