Safety and health in agriculture

1. 1.2.  Employment and OSH
2. 2.2.  Addressing the challenges

3. Developing a national framework for OSH in agriculture .

1. 3.1.  National policy, systems and programmes for OSH
2. 3.2.  Competent authority 10
3. 3.3.  Labour inspectorates14
4. 3.4.  Employers16
5. 3.5.  Workers 22
6. 3.6.  Manufacturers and suppliers  27
7. 3.7.  Contractors and labour supply agents 28

4. Occupational safety and health management systems 34
   1. 4.1.  OSH management systems 34
   2. 4.2.  Hazard identification and risk assessment 35
   3. 4.3.  Planning and implementation of controls 40
   4. 4.4.  Monitoring, evaluation and improvement 42
5. Competence, education and training 43
6. 5.1. General 43
   2. 5.2.  Competence of managers and supervisors 46
   3. 5.3.  Competence of workers  47
   4. XI

Contents

Safety and health in agriculture

6. Personal protective equipment
   1. 6.1.  General provisions
   2. 6.2.  Helmets and other head protection
   3. 6.3.  Face and eye protection
   4. 6.4.  Upper and lower limb protection
   5. 6.5.  Respiratory protective equipment .
   6. 6.6.  Hearingprotection 56
   7. 6.7.  Protection from falls from height  57
   8. 6.8.  Hygiene facilities and decontamination  58
7. Contingency and emergency preparedness 59
   1. 7.1.  General 59
   2. 7.2.  Escape and rescue 60
8. Machinery and work equipment safety  65
   1. 8.1.  Introduction 65
   2. 8.2.  Tractors and all-terrain vehicles  65
      1. 8.2.1.  Hazarddescription  65
      2. 8.2.2.  Risk assessment  67
      3. 8.2.3.  Elimination of the hazard  67
      4. 8.2.4.  Engineering controls  68
      5. 8.2.5.  Safe working systems and procedures  69
   3. 8.3.  Other agricultural machinery, equipment and tools  71

8.3.1. Hazarddescription 71

……….. 72 ……….. 73 ……….. 73 ……….. 74 ……….. 76

8.4. Control of hazards created by stored
and other energy sources

1. 8.4.1.  Hazarddescription 77
2. 8.4.2.  Assessment of risk  77

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2. 8.3.2.  Risk assessment
3. 8.3.3.  Elimination of the hazard
4. 8.3.4.  Engineering controls
5. 8.3.5.  Safe working systems and procedures
6. 8.3.6.  The use of PPE

………………………. 49 ………………………. 49 ………………………. 52 ………………………. 53 ………………………. 53 ………………………. 54

……….. 77

3. 8.4.3.  Elimination of the hazard  77
4. 8.4.4.  Engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
5. 8.4.5.  Safe working systems and procedures ……….. 78
6. 8.4.6.  The use of PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

9. Ergonomics and the handling of materials . . . . . . . . . . .  89

9.1. Introduction ………………………………………………… 89

9.2. Hazard description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. 9.2.1.  Routes of exposure . . . . . . .
2. 9.2.2.  Principal health effects . .
3. 9.2.3.  Special risks to consider

……………………….. 90 ……………………….. 90 ……………………….. 92 ……………………….. 93 ……………………….. 94 ……………………….. 94

9.3. Ergonomic control strategies . . . . . .

1. 9.3.1.  General principles . . . . . . . .
2. 9.3.2.  Elimination of ergonomic hazard through

engineering controls or substitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

3. 9.3.3.  Control of ergonomic hazards throughengineering and administrativeminimizationofimpact ………………………… 98
4. 9.3.4.  Minimization of ergonomic hazard throughinformation and training of workers . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
5. 9.3.5.  Minimization of ergonomic hazard throughuse of PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

10. Chemicals………………………………………………………… 104

10.1. Introduction ………………………………………………..104

10.2. Hazard description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. 10.2.1.  Routes of exposure . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 10.2.2.  Principal health effects . . . . . . .
3. 10.2.3.  Risks to special populations

………………….. 106 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 ………………….. 111 ………………….. 112 ………………….. 112 . …………………. 114

10.3. Control strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. 10.3.1.  General principles . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 10.3.2.  Elimination/substitution . . . . .
3. 10.3.3.  Engineering and administrative controls . . . . . . 115

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Safety and health in agriculture

4. 10.3.4.  Information and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. 10.3.5.  Personal protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. 10.3.6.  Workplace and worker hygiene . . . . . .
7. 10.3.7.  Emergency procedures and first aid

. . . . . . . . . . . .

. 116 . 118 . 121 . 122 . 125 . 125 . 125 . 129 . 134 . 134 . 135 . 136 . 136 . 137 . 138 . 139 . 140

. 140 . 142

4. 10.4.  Transport, storage and disposal of pesticides
5. 10.5.  Exposure during pesticide handling . . . . . . . . . . .
   1. 10.5.1.  Mixing and loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   2. 10.5.2.  Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. 10.6.  Exposure during re-entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10.6.1. Normal re-entry into sprayed areas

. . . .

. . . . . . .

. .

10.6.2. Early re-entry into sprayed areas .

7. 10.7.  Medical and health surveillance of workers
   1. 10.7.1.  General principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   2. 10.7.2.  Use of results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   3. 10.7.3.  Keeping of medical records . . . . . . . . .
   4. 10.7.4.  Cholinesterase monitoring . . . . . . … .
8. 10.8.  Atmospheric and environmental control … .
   1. 10.8.1.  Aerial spraying and the off-targetmovement of pesticides . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   2. 10.8.2.  Protection of water sourcesand the general environment . . . . . . .

. . . . . . .

. .

11. Dusts and other particulate matter
and other biological exposures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. 11.1.  Summary……………………………………………………150
2. 11.2.  Dusts ………………………………………………………..150

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150

1. 11.2.1.  Hazard description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
2. 11.2.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
3. 11.2.3.  Elimination of the hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
4. 11.2.4.  Engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
5. 11.2.5.  Safe working systems and procedures . . . . . . . . . . 155
6. 11.2.6.  The use of PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

………..

3. 11.3.  Animal wastes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
   1. 11.3.1.  Hazard description . . . . . . . . .  157
   2. 11.3.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . .  159
   3. 11.3.3.  Elimination of the hazard …………………….. 159
   4. 11.3.4.  Engineering controls . . . . . . 160
   5. 11.3.5.  Safe working systems and procedures . . . . . . . . . . 161
   6. 11.3.6.  The use of PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
4. 11.4.  Zoonoses ……………………………………………………163
   1. 11.4.1.  Hazard description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
   2. 11.4.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
   3. 11.4.3.  Elimination of the hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
   4. 11.4.4.  Engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
   5. 11.4.5.  Safe working systems and procedures . . . . . . . . . . 167

11.4.6. The use of PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11.5. Needle-stick injuries and sharps exposures

…………… 168 …………… 168 …………… 168 …………… 169 …………… 169 …………… 169

1. 11.5.1.  Hazard description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 11.5.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. 11.5.3.  Elimination of the hazard . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 11.5.4.  Engineering controls ……………. .
5. 11.5.5.  Safe working systems and procedures . . . . . . . . . . 170
6. 11.5.6.  The use of PPE . . . . . . . . ………………………….. 171

6. 11.6.  Injuries due to wild animals ………………………….. 171
   1. 11.6.1.  Hazard description ………………………….. 171
   2. 11.6.2.  Risk assessment  ………………………….. 172
   3. 11.6.3.  Engineering controls ………………………….. 173
   4. 11.6.4.  Safe working systems and procedures . . . . . . . . . . 174
   5. 11.6.5.  The use of PPE  …………………….. 175
7. 11.7.  Vector-borne diseases and parasitic infections
   in the agricultural environment ………… 175
   1. 11.7.1.  Hazard description  ………… 175
   2. 11.7.2.  Risk assessment . ………… 176
   3. 11.7.3.  Elimination of the hazard ………… 177
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Contents

Safety and health in agriculture

4. 11.7.4.  Engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
5. 11.7.5.  Safe working systems and procedures. . . . . . . . . . . 178

11.8. The use of PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

12. Noise………………………………………………………………..180

1. 12.1.  Introduction…………………………………………………180
2. 12.2.  Hazarddescription………………………………………… 181
3. 12.3.  Risk assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
4. 12.4.  Engineering controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
5. 12.5.  Safe working systems and proceduresand the use of PPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
6. 12.6.  Workers’ health surveillance,training and information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

13. Vibration…………………………………………………………..186

1. 13.1.  Introduction…………………………………………………186
2. 13.2.  Hazarddescription………………………………………… 187
3. 13.3.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
4. 13.4.  Engineering controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
5. 13.5.  Safe working systems and procedures and PPE. . . . . . . . . . . 189
6. 13.6.  Workers’ health surveillance,training and information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

14. Agriculturalinstallations ………………………………………191

1. 14.1.  Summary…………………………………………………….191
2. 14.2.  Risk assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
3. 14.3.  Design, construction and maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
4. 14.3.1. Hazarddescription………………………………192

14.3.2. Engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

14.4. Slips, trips and falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

14.4.1. Hazarddescription………………………………195

2. 14.4.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
3. 14.4.3.  Engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
4. 14.4.4.  Safe work systems and procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

XVI

5. 14.5.  Respiratory hazards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
6. 14.5.1. Hazarddescription………………………………198
   2. 14.5.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
   3. 14.5.3.  Engineering controls and the use of PPE . . . . . . . 198
7. 14.6.  Farm workshop safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
   1. 14.6.1.  Hazarddescription………………………………199
   2. 14.6.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
   3. 14.6.3.  Elimination of the hazardand engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
8. 14.7.  Asbestos and insulation wools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
   1. 14.7.1.  Hazarddescription………………………………201
   2. 14.7.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
   3. 14.7.3.  Elimination of the hazard
      and engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

14.7.4 Safe systems of work and procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . 203

8. 14.8.  Firesafety……………………………………………………203
9. 14.8.1. Hazarddescription………………………………203
   2. 14.8.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
   3. 14.8.3.  Engineering controls
      and safe working procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
10. 14.9.  Spontaneous combustion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
11. 14.9.1. Hazarddescription………………………………205
    2. 14.9.2.  Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
    3. 14.9.3.  Elimination of the hazardand engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

14.10.Animalhandling …………………………………………..206

14.10.1. Hazarddescription………………………………206

14.10.2. Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

14.10.3. Engineering controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

14.11. Confined spaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

14.11.1. Hazard description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

14.11.2. Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

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Contents

Safety and health in agriculture

14.11.3. Engineering controls
and safe working procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

14.12. Machinery and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

14.12.1. Hazarddescription……………………………… 211

14.12.2. Elimination of the hazard

andcontrolstrategies…………………………… 212

15. Transport of persons, equipment and materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

1. 15.1.  General………………………………………………………227
2. 15.2.  Hazard identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
3. 15.3.  Controlstrategies…………………………………………..228

15.3.1. Training and information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

15.3.2. Designconsiderations…………………………..229

15.3.3. Prevention and control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

15.3.4. Workorganization………………………………234

15.4. Safe transport on public roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234

16. Animal production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
    1. 16.1.  Animal handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
    2. 16.2.  Hazarddescription…………………………………………237
    3. 16.3.  Risk assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
    4. 16.4.  Elimination of the hazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
    5. 16.5.  Control of the hazard through engineering controls . . . . 240
    6. 16.6.  Minimization of hazards by meansof systems and protocols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
    7. 16.7.  The use of PPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
17. Weather and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
    1. 17.1.  Weather and environmental factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
    2. 17.2.  Thermalexposure………………………………………….247
    3. 17.2.1. Hazarddescription………………………………247

17.2.2. Assessment of risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248

17.2.3. Controlstrategies………………………………..249

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4. 17.2.4.  Thermal comfort: Heat stress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
5. 17.2.5.  Thermal comfort: Cold stress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

17.3. Other environmental exposure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256

17.3.1. Ultraviolet light radiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256

18. Welfarefacilities …………………………………………………259

1. 18.1.  Water…………………………………………………………259
2. 18.2.  Toilets………………………………………………………..260
3. 18.3.  Food services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
4. 18.4.  First aid and medical care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
5. 18.5.  Temporaryshelter………………………………………….264
6. 18.6.  Housing……………………………………………………..264
7. 18.7.  Day-carefacilities………………………………………….265
8. 18.8.  Role of occupational health services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

19. Workplacewellnessprogrammes …………………………….267

1. 19.1.  Social protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
2. 19.2.  Workinghours………………………………………………268
3. 19.3.  Alcohol- and drug-related problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
4. 19.4.  HIV/AIDS…………………………………………………..270
5. 19.5.  Workplace violence, harassment and bullying . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
6. 19.6.  Smoking at work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273

20. Outreach…………………………………………………………..274

1. 20.1.  Introduction…………………………………………………274
2. 20.2.  Competent authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
3. 20.3.  Social partners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
4. 20.4.  Tripartitecooperationandcollaboration………………..278
5. 20.5.  Other partners: Farmers’ associations,agricultural shows, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
6. 20.6.  Media campaigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
7. 20.7.  National OSH programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
8. XIX

Contents

Safety and health in agriculture

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

Appendix I: Workers’ health surveillance
(adapted from the ILO Technical and ethical guidelines
for workers’ health surveillance, 1998) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

Appendix II: Surveillance of the working environment
(according to the Occupational Health Services Recommendation, 1985 (No. 171)). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302

Appendix III: Standards with regard to occupational exposure
limits for hazardous substances, heat and cold, noise
and vibration and the assessment and monitoring
of agricultural hazards related to machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

Appendix IV: Additional information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314

Appendix V: International instruments related

to hazardous substances.