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Broccoli by Sakata At Sakata, we know the right product can make all the difference. That's why you can count on us to offer a range of broccoli varieties that were bred specifically for your region, slot and end-use market. No one can match our decades of proven performance and best-in-class broccoli products. PRIDE OF THE CENTRAL COAST © 2018 Sakata Seed America, Inc. sakatavegetables.com Green Magic Offers very good uniformity of harvest Emerald Star Very firm heads and nice uniformity Centennial Can be multi-use in many regions Imperial Performs well in long day length and moderate heat Keeping farmworkers safe Submitted by AgSafe The food and farming industry ranks amongst the top 10 most hazardous industries in which to work. While some hazards are just inherent in the work we do, it is imperative we take steps towards pre- vention. In reviewing the top OSHA agricultural vio- lations in California for the period between October 2016 through September 2017, we can position our agricultural companies to tackle the areas of safety that need attention. The greatest number of instances resulting in violations were related to heat illness, injuries, field sanitation and operation of agricultural equipment. Armed with this infor- mation, we can dig into the codes, their specific requirements and most im- portantly, refocus company efforts, including training employees on critical safe- ty elements. Four programs companies can implement to address these concerns include: - Heat Illness Prevention Program The heat illness prevention program is a plan designed to outline water, rest, shade, and emergency re- sponse requirements, while serving as a useful tool for both employees and supervisors alike. The plan must include the following elements and incorporate specific details as to how to ensure the provisions are met: • Designated person(s) with the authority and re- sponsibility for implement- ing the plan in the field • Procedures for providing sufficient water • Procedures for providing access to shade • High-heat procedures • Emergency response procedures • Include any lone workers (e.g. irrigators) • Acclimatization methods and procedures • When draing your plan, it is important to consider the size of your crew, the length of the work day, the ambient temperatures, and any additional personal protective equipment (PPE) that contributes as an additional source of heat. • The plan needs to be in English and also the lan- guage understood by the majority of the employees, and must be located at the worksite and accessible to employees. Adequate shade is a must in a plan to minimize heat illness. Shade needs to available when the temperature exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This means blockage of direct sunlight. One indicator that blockage is sufficient is when objects do not cast a shadow in the area of blocked sunlight. Shade is not adequate when heat in the area of shade defeats the purpose of shade, which is to allow the body to cool. For example, a car sitting in the sun does not provide acceptable shade to a person inside it, unless the car is running with air conditioning. Shade may be provided by any natural or artificial means that it does not expose employ- ees to unsafe or unhealthy conditions and that it does not deter or discourage access or use. Cal/OSHA urges employers to not rely on cell phone weather data because it does not reflect the site specific tempera- tures. Best/recommended practice is to invest in an outdoor thermometer. The amount of shade present shall be at least enough to accommodate the number of employees on recovery or rest periods, so that they can sit in a normal posture fully in the shade without having to be in physical contact with each other. The shade shall be located as close as is practical to the areas where employees are working. Shade also needs to be available, even when the temperature does not exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit, upon employee request. Employees shall have access to potable drinking water. It must be fresh, pure, suitably cool, and provided to employees free of charge. The water shall be located as close as is practical to the areas where employees are working. Where drinking water is not plumbed or otherwise continuous- ly supplied, it shall be provided in a sufficient quantity at the beginning of the work shi to provide one quart per employee per hour for drinking for the entire shi. Employers may begin the shi with smaller quantities of water if they have effective procedures for replenishment during the shi as needed to allow employees to drink one quart or more per hour. For more information on the program and training requirements, visit the CalOSHA website. - Injury Illness Prevention Program Employers are required to have an Injury Illness Pre- vention Program (IIPP.) The IIPP serves as the founda- tional safety program and requires employers to iden- tify hazards in the work- place and have systems that prevent injuries and incidents associated with these hazards. An effective IIPP improves the safety and health in the workplace and reduces costs through good management and employee involvement. Your IIPP must include the following information: Responsibility – Identify who is responsible for im- plementing the program. Compliance - Include a system for ensuring em- ployees comply with safe and healthy work practices. Communication - Include a system for communicating with employees in a form readily understandable by all affected employees on matters relating to occupa- tional safety and health, in- cluding provisions designed to encourage employees to inform the employer of hazards at the worksite without fear of reprisal. Hazard Assessment - Include procedures for identifying and evaluating workplace hazards includ- ing scheduled periodic inspections to identify unsafe conditions and work practices. Accident/Exposure Investigation - Include a procedure to investigate occupational injury or occupational illness. Hazard Correction - Include methods and/or procedures for correcting unsafe or unhealthy conditions, work practices and work proce- dures in a timely manner based on the severity of the hazard. Training and Instruction – For all employees, before they perform the work, and whenever there is a new or changed procedure. Recordkeeping – All train- ings, investigations and inspections. For more infor- mation on the requirements of an IIPP visit CalOSHA's website. - Operation of Agricultural Equipment Employers are required to train employees on how to safely operate agricul- tural equipment including forklis, tractors, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs). Re- quirements also include: • No removing of guards. • No permitting additional riders. • Inspection prior to daily use . For the complete regula- tion, visit: www.dir.ca.gov/ title8/3441.html. - Field Sanitation The field sanitation regula- tion requires employers to provide drinking water as well as toilet and handwash- ing facilities for workers. Requirements include: • Provide potable drinking water that is readily accessi- ble. • Water shall be fresh and pure, suitably cool, dis- pensed in single-use drink- ing cups. • In sufficient amounts, taking into account the air temperature, humidity, and the nature of the work per- formed, to meet the needs of all employees. • Water shall be free of charge to all employees • Toilet and handwashing facilities. • Separate toilet facili- ties for each sex shall be provided for each twenty (20) employees or fraction thereof. One handwashing facility shall be provided for each twenty (20) employees or fraction thereof. Where there are less than five employees, separate toilet rooms for each sex are not required provided toilet rooms can be locked from the inside and contain at least one water closet. Toilet facilities must meet be appropriately screened, be well ventilated with lockable doors. The facilities shall be located within a one-quarter (1/4) mile walk or within five (5) minutes, whichever is shorter. Toilet paper to be provided, and facilities are to be kept clean. Handwashing facilities must include pure, wholesome and potable wa- ter for handwashing, as well as soap and signage that water is for washing only. For the complete field sanitation regulation, visit: https://www.dir.ca.gov/ti- tle8/3457.html. This is a brief overview of CalOSHA regulations that affect the food and farm- ing industries. If you have questions about specifics, including sample policies, visit www.agsafe.org, call (209) 526-4400 or email safeinfo@agsafe.org. AgSafe is a 501c3 nonprof- it providing training, educa- tion, outreach and tools in the areas of worker safety, human resources, food safety, and pesticide safety for the food and farming in- dustries. Since 1991, AgSafe has educated nearly 75,000 employers, supervisors and workers about these critical issues.

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