SPOTLIGHT ON PPE

Quade Sing Jam is the Stewardship Manager and a compliance specialist at CropLife South Africa, and if you have questions about personal protection equipment (PPE) in the deciduous fruit industry, he has the answers.

By Gerrit Rautenbach

PPE is as essential to producing good stone and pome fruit as water and soil. Just as you use the best and most appropriate agricultural remedies to help safeguard your crop, you must invest in the best and most appropriate PPE to help safeguard workers.

Q: How is the use of PPE regulated?

A: The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, specifically Article Seven, affirms that all citizens have the right to a safe and healthy environment. In addition, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 imposes a legal duty on employers to provide a work environment that is as safe and free from risk as is reasonably practicable.

These are the core regulations for PPE. Furthermore, when a farmworker is employed, a service contract will be drawn up that must declare the hazards posed by the agricultural remedies to be used. The employer must ensure that the employee is fully aware of what they are working with. What does the label state? The employer must be aware of what the symbols on packaging mean, from a skull and crossbones to a flame. The type of PPE that is compulsory for a situation, as prescribed by the label.

Farm workers who use agricultural remedies must undergo seasonal medical check-ups with registered or certified occupational health practitioners. If any irregularity is detected, action must be taken and adhered to, including removing the worker from the hazardous working environment and placing them in a safe packhouse until further tests are completed and a treatment schedule is decided upon.

Q: Who is responsible for applying regulations in the use of PPE?

A: Ideally, there should be a health and safety manager on the farm, but if not, the responsibility lies with the farm management. This is not only for training in the use of PPE but also for understanding the hazards of the various products in use, how to handle them, and what to do in the event of contamination. It is the responsibility of the producer of agrochemicals to inform their distribution networks of these precautions and hazards, to inform the crop advisors associated with these distribution networks, so that producers know what they are buying. It is the right of every employer working with chemicals (not just on farms!) to know exactly what they are working with. All PPE should be correctly tailored to each specific product or situation. PPE is not only for those applying products; it is also for fruit pickers, scouts, and packhouse workers.

Q: How are farmworkers trained?

A: All workers must know why and how to use PPE. The responsibility lies with farm management. Organisations and companies such as BASF, Food for Mzansi, and CropLife SA have invested in PPE training campaigns for farmworkers across the country. These initiatives help bridge awareness gaps, reaching thousands of workers with safety education.

Workers should understand that for some remedies, a period of prohibition to enter the orchard applies. This means that workers who wear PPE in the orchard should not return without it until the prohibition period ends.

Sometimes, workers enter orchards when they are not allowed to, taking risks and picking fruit, even selling it to motorists by the roadside. This is extremely dangerous for anyone who comes into contact with contaminated fruit.

CropLife SA conducts awareness demonstrations and discussions with farmworkers, explaining all the risks. We offer a two- to three-hour training session on the proper use of PPE, procedures, aligning hazards with appropriate self-protection measures, and more. We show them the correct way to dress, use, and clean their PPE kits. We’ve also produced a range of compliance videos to raise awareness and improve PPE use. And the importance of it: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoU5ZklFywyWs1ZLgnKZNXmFE-3ePgDuo

Q: What are the biggest problems with PPE?

A: As with most things in life, price can be a hurdle. Producers should not cut corners to save money on PPE. Recently, there were claims that workers were issued cheap plastic raincoats instead of PPE. If true, that would not be compliant. There are also claims of inadequate supervision of PPE use.

Then there are cases where workers sell their proper, expensive PPE boots and buy cheaper ones, pocketing the money.

You get cases where the farmer supplies the highest-quality PPE available, but the workers are lax about using it, especially in summer when it’s up to 40˚C in the orchards. Never mind PPE, they’re working without shirts! It goes without saying that no application should be done at such temperatures.

Another problem is that PPE is often stolen, and these thefts go unreported. It is the responsibility of farm management to check that all PPE is complete. There should be a register of everyone who received PPE.

Q: How is PPE properly cleaned?

A: It is the producer’s responsibility to ensure that all equipment is cleaned after each use. You cannot issue a worker with only one overall. They must be ready for the day’s operations in the morning with a clean set of PPE. Every worker’s PPE must have their name on it. Domestic washing machines may be used to clean PPE, but they must be used exclusively for PPE. Washing should never be mixed with ordinary clothing. Use mild detergents without fabric softener or bleach. Only fill machines to two-thirds capacity. Select an intensive wash programme with a pre-wash. It is essential to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for choosing the right water temperature.

Masks are discarded daily and replaced the following day. Full-face shield masks and cartridges for respiratory masks are cleaned with an antiseptic solution, and the filters must be changed at least once every three months.

There must be running water and soap for workers to wash their hands when taking a break to eat or drink, even to smoke, and a shower when they’re done for the day. Wash up before going home.

Q: How is effectiveness monitored?

After work, workers must hand in their PPE to the shift manager or superintendent, who is responsible for meticulously checking for defects, such as small tears in overalls or gloves. If someone has left a kit in the orchard, they must retrieve it. Nothing should be left to chance. For a good audit, the farmer must be able to show SIZA that their system accounts for all equipment, ensuring it is in good working order or replaced when damaged.

Q: If farmers do not supply comprehensive PPE, what can farmworkers do?

A worker can contact the Department of Labour, the Department of Agriculture, or lodge a grievance through their union. However, the best advice is to start by contacting the farm management. It may be that management is unaware of the shortages. If not, begin by filing a formal written complaint. If there is no resolution, the next step would be to file a full complaint with the CCMA. Before that, be very sure there is no negligence on your side. If the producer provides inadequate PPE, a worker can refuse to go out to work. It is his or her constitutional right. Then the onus is on the producer to prove the worker wrong.

The PPE usage poster includes a regional hotline that must be displayed in the control room, where all equipment is gathered and where workers come and go. These hotlines connect to the regional offices of the Department of Labour or the Department of Agriculture. Workers can also contact their respective unions. SIZA also offers an emergency number: 086 1111 568.

For more information on PPE, contact Quade Sing Jam at quade@croplife.co.za