Work Safety - Edition 2014
Concise cards of major risks in agricultural activity

1 General fulfilment - Card 01.04 Information and training

PRACTICAL AND OPERATING INDICATIONS:

 

Every worker, even seasonal or foreigner, shall be informed and fully formed about:

• general risks for health and safety at work which derive from the farm activities (e.g. paths, facilities, tasks etc);
• rspecific risks due to the particular kind of work a labourer is performing (e.g. noise, vibrations, load manual handling, chemical, biological, mechanical etc);
• risks linked to the use of dangerous substances and mixes (on the basis of safety cards planned by the laws in force and by the good technique norms);
• safety norms and specific dispositions adopted by the Employer in his/her own Farm;
• signals adopted;
• names of the workers who must handle the emergency (First Aid and Fire Fighting) and behavioural rules in emergency situations;
• name of the Health and Safety Officer(usually the employer him/herself) and his/her helpers (if present) and of the Company Physician;
• adopted measures and protection and prevention activities. In particular, after indicating each worker his/her P.P.E., everyone shall be given comprehensible instructions about: which type of risk it minimizes, when it shall be used, how to keep it efficient, how to carry out its maintenance and how to manage its substitution/redelivery.

 

It is necessary to inform, fully form and train each worker exposed to a significant and immediate risks, on the risks itself and on the right disposition which shall be taken to act safely.

 

It is necessary to inform and fully form the Safety Worker Representative (if present also remember that will be necessary an annual update at least 4 hours).

 

It is necessary to make sure the Health and Safety Officer is informed and formed (usually this role is taken by the Employer him/herself who attended a course)

 

It is necessary to inform the Company Physician (if present) on the current type of risk, on how the work is organized, on the farm producing processes and on the adopted protective and preventive measures.

 

It is necessary to remember that the information and the instruction for use must be comprehensible to workers. It goes without saying that before informing and forming immigrant workers, it is necessary to check if they understand what it is said (or written). Try to find a handbook written in a language they understand or somebody who can adequately translate the information.

 

FURTHER INDICATIONS AND ADVICE

• Keep in mind that the degree and the form of "information and training " will be different , depending on the number of days / year performed by each worker:
  - if the days of annual work carried out are 51 or more, you need to attend, no later than 60 days of taking, a specific course of 12 hours, defined by clear criteria and qualified teachers. In addition, within 5 years, the employee must attend one or more Refresher Courses, for a total of 6 hours, and so on, every 5 years
  - if the days of annual work carried out are 50/year or less, pending further clarification, it will be possible, conduct information and business training, directly from the employer, before the holding of tasks, with the timing and content deemed suitable to prepare the worker to the activities in safety, delivering didactic materials and verbalize a report. In this case, the update will be effected every time it will be necessary.
• Formation and training must be held at the beginning of the employment relationship and shall be repeated:
  1. when new tasks are assigned to a worker or when duties change;
  2. when new equipment, technologies, dangerous substances or mixes are introduced, so the risk changes or increases.
• Training must be provided by an expert in the working place.
• Every formative and informative initiative (not only specific meeting, but also in progress) shall be firmed up, that is the employer and the worker fill in a form describing the meeting content, putting the date, the farm stamp and the signature of both of them.
• Whenever possible, workers shall find some informative material (cards and already existing handbooks) or create it themselves (notes, instruction's photo-copies about how to work with and without machines, procedures etc) and give it a copy to the employer clarifying the content.
• Law changing must be checked (specific indications will be provided with how to do and how much time dedicate to the information/formation).
• The Employer must preside over workers respect on farm disposition given during the formation/information meeting such as safety at work, the use of collective protection equipment and P.P.E. at their disposal.
• Caution to attribute for each of the tasks best suited. Do not believe that any word said about it is enough to enable someone to do special activities: those that expose workers to specific risks, however, require proper training and a good training. And sometimes it is not enough: You might also need a recognized professional ability and a specific entrainment.
• Keep in mind that very soon (March 22 2015), in order to conduct agricultural vehicle considered "particularly dangerous" (wheeled tractor, caterpillar, wagon harvesting fruit, forklift, ...) both into the company and on the road, it will be necessary for everyone, both for workers and for employers, can prove to be able to adopt them safely. This can be attested in two ways:
  - Attending a Course of enabling you to use specific (different for each of the equipment considered dangerous), theoretical and practical, with a final certificate. Furthermore, within 5 years, it is necessary attend one or more courses of update, for a total of 4 hours for each specific type of equipment, and so on, every 5 years.
  - Self-certify their skills to use in a document where it is stated that for over 2 years (since March 2003) was operated on that type of equipment. This statement, however, must be demonstrable and also in this case every 5 years you will have to update.