When we talk about accident prevention, we talk about one of the obligations attributed to entrepreneurs in any branch of business or activity: preserving the integrity of their team, promoting prevention and monitoring measures is a commitment.
To continue the theme, we need to understand what a work accident is and what it entails.
The accident at work, as provided for in article 19 of the 1988 Constitution, “is the one that occurs through the exercise of work at the service of the company or through the exercise of the work of the insured persons referred to in item VII of art. 11 of this Law, causing bodily injury or functional disturbance that causes death or loss or reduction, permanent or temporary, of the ability to work.”
Many continue to ignore the matter, no matter how much it is legally supported, as seen in the Regulatory Norms (NRs) of the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) that establish the guidelines to be followed in relation to safety and occupational medicine.
Employees must be aware of the risks of work accidents and the use of safety equipment is essential, including in the fields.
It is not enough to invest in highly technological equipment, quality inputs, choice of good seedlings, proper management if you do not have a focus on the employee and management that provides a safe working environment and guarantees the integrity of the worker.
danger of neglect
Ignorance or neglect generates catastrophic results. Employees involved in the processes remain exposed to risks that can not only compromise production and processes, but also compromise their health and life. It’s very serious.
It all starts with respect for the employee, evolving towards attention to current safety laws, safety instructions, training, safety devices, individual and collective safety equipment, first aid kit, safety management plan that includes risks, threats, prevention.
When preparing products for a pesticide spraying, for example, the employee must pay attention to the smallest details.
Caring for the health of employees does not only require prevention, but also measures to serve them quickly and safely.
Turning our gaze to the field, we have the scenario of various activities performed, ranging from cleaning and preparing the soil for planting to operations for crop management, harvesting, transport and storage.
We can also mention: treatments of seeds and vegetative parts, opening of irrigation and drainage channels, animal husbandry, construction and maintenance of fences, stables and sheds, control of diseases and pests, application of correctives and fertilizers, operation of machines, electrification rural and processing agro-industries.
Exposure to hazards
There are not few activities, but they require a careful look and consideration of the risks and threats to the integrity of those who perform them.
There are many risks and damages to which farmers are exposed:
- Accidents with hand tools, agricultural machinery and implements or caused by animals;
- Accidents with venomous animals;
- Exposures to endemic infectious and parasitic agents, as well as to solar radiation for long periods;
- Exposure to noise and vibration;
- Exposure to stored grain particles, mites, pollen, animal debris, bacterial and fungal cell components;
- Division and intense work rhythm, long working hours, absence of breaks;
- Exposure to fertilizers and pesticides, which can cause serious and deadly poisoning.
It is known that agricultural work activities are dangerous and difficult to manage and the work accident, in addition to representing a high cost in terms of medical treatment, indemnities, social security costs, production losses, damage to machines, delays and others, brings serious problems for the injured person and his family.
After all, how to solve this situation?
How to manage this situation? The hazards and risks may not be difficult to identify, but carrying out management work with the main objective of reducing or eliminating the number of hazards and risks requires great organization and determination on the part of the bodies and workers involved.
Even in the smallest details, when bending down during the application of a pesticide, the worker must be attentive in order to guarantee his health.
If you haven’t realized it yet, it’s good to start. Continuing to close your eyes will not help. First is to adapt the work environment facilities to excluding risk situations. From there, you have to go ahead:
- Make a risk diagnosis – implementation of security management and CIPA;
- Signaling danger areas; make employees aware of the importance of complying with safety standards, correct use of equipment and obeying signs;
- Provide all the necessary and established PPE for the activities carried out, as well as inspect their proper use;
- Define emergency exits; document accidents at work;
- perform preventive maintenance on equipment used in field work;
- Do not use prohibited products that harm not only production, consumer health, as well as the health of the employee.
All this will only be valid if respected, trained and monitored.
Also check out: Irrigation and food security: what is the role of efficiency?
