Certification Training

Magic From the Manual:

SAFETY FIRST! Do You Have a Plan??

By Bert T. Swanson, Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Inc.

Occupational illnesses, injuries, and deaths cost U.S. industries tens of billions of dollars annually due to lost productivity and worker’s compensation claims. This information can be obtained from: http://www.s.bls.gov/iif. Safety training and safety programs must be in place in every business. Effective employee safety training programs and safe working environments have been proven to reduce the risk of occupational injuries and fatalities.

All employees should receive occupational training on a regular basis. “Safety First” should be foremost in the mind of every worker. Safety training should be completed at an employee’s job orientation and then refreshed periodically. This serves to familiarize the employee with the risks and hazards present at the facility or work site. This must also include instruction on how to avoid injury. Training topics should include, but are not limited to, the following areas.

1. Clothing and Footwear Protection.

2. Climate.

3. Muscle and Skeletal.

4. Exposure Risks.

5. Hand Tools.

6. Hazardous Areas.

7. Emergency Procedures.

8. Reporting Unsafe Conditions and Injuries.

9. Employee Relations.

Equipment safety training should be conducted by a well qualified owner, manager, or supervisor. By law, heavy equipment operators must complete both formal training including lectures and videos, and hands on practical training. By law, an operator must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the operation of a piece of equipment before solo operation is allowed. Safety trainers must be aware, and insure compliance of any federal and state regulations that mandate specific training, certification or licensing for operators of all types of heavy equipment including forklifts, skid loaders, front-end loaders, tractors, balers, rotovators, sprayers and other heavy equipment. This training and certification of proficiency must be documented. Effective and enthusiastic safety training, as well as enforcement of safety policies, reflect the employer’s professional genuine concern for an employee’s welfare. The importance of safety training in reducing the risk of occupational injury or death cannot be overstated.

Safety in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility; everyone must practice safe work habits on the job at all times. Working conditions in the greenhouse, landscape and nursery are often extreme due to poor weather, long hours, deadlines, short staffing, and hard, heavy work. The risk of injury is greatly increased during these stressful conditions. A major cause of accidents is poor maintenance. Employees should never remove or bypass guards, or any other safety devices, on machinery or equipment. Unsafe conditions, as well as the unsafe behavior of others including negligence, substance abuse, horseplay, and non compliance with policies and regulations must be reported on a timely basis. The employer must foster an open door policy to encourage employee action and confidence in this regard.

The use of personal safety gear is one of the most significant factors in prevention of injuries. Although simple to use and relatively inexpensive, considering the protection it provides, the use of personal gear has the worst compliance record. Training and stringent enforcement is required to insure the use of all protective gear, devises and equipment.

Federal, state, and some local laws regulate many occupational standards. These laws are broad in spectrum, coverage and complexity. These laws exist for the benefit of everyone, employers and employees alike. Interpreting and complying with these laws that apply to everyone can be complicated, therefore, there should be a designated safety officer overseeing the company’s safety program. Check the Certification Manual, Chapter 7 the Safety Program Officer’s responsibilities.

In addition to recordkeeping requirements, six of the ten Agricultural Safety and Health Standards apply to growers in the green industry. These six include: Field Sanitation, Temporary Labor Camps, Hazard Communication, Roll-over Protective Structures, Guarding of Farm, Field and Farmstead Equipment, and Slow-moving Vehicles. All of these can be found on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s website at www.osha.gov/SLTC/agriculturaloperatio ns/compliance.html. Also see the Certification Manual for information on Green Industry Occupational Related Diseases.

All greenhouse, landscape and nursery business and operational plans should contain Employee Health and Safety Programs and Training Curricula. Even when reasonable precautions are taken, various medical emergencies may still arise, however, with good functional plans in place, these incidents and accidents can be greatly reduced. If an injury or other medical emergency does occur, it is important to stay calm, think before acting, and make good timely decisions. GET HELP – Call 911 immediately. When possible, have one person call for help while the most qualified individual attends to the injured or sick person. Table 1 provides an alphabetical list of emergency medical situations that may be encountered in the green industry (only one page of five is included in this article). It further describes what action to take, and what action not to take, while awaiting professional assistance.

Everyone must accentuate the importance of a proactive, comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety Program. Accidents and injuries occur in the blink of an eye, and the results can be devastating, and the effects will last forever. Please practice “Safety First” in everything that is done!

Questions for the Basis Knowledge Examination:

1. Topics for Safety Training should include which of the following?

A. Clothing and Footwear Protection

B. Climate

C. Emergency Procedures

D. Reporting Injuries and Unsafe Conditions

E. Muscle and Skeletal

2. The following should be done as part of immediate treatment of chemical burns and/or

chemicals in the eyes.

A. Call the Poison control Center.

B. Wash the chemical off the skin or eye for 20 minutes.

C. Rub the eye if a chemical gets in the eye.

D. Apply ointment to chemical burns.

E. Identify the chemical and provide that information to the attending Physician.

3. T F It is not required by law that heavy equipment operators must complete both

formal training and practical hands-on training.

4. T F A major cause of accidents is poor maintenance of tools and equipment.

5. T F The use of personnel safety gear is one of the most significant factors in preventing

injuries, yet it has the worst compliance record.

Answers: 1 = A, B, C, D, E. 2 = A, B, E. 3 = False. 4 = True. 5 = True.