Occupational Health

Occupational Health is something that most employers are aware of however, it is often overlooked in agriculture.  Many workers are exposed to hazards that can affect their health and it is the employer's responsibility to ensure that occupational health is taken seriously.

Some of the hazards that farm workers are exposed to and which can affect their health are listed below:

• Noise
• Dust
• Vibration
• Chemicals
• Zoonoses
• Asbestos
• Heat/cold
• Fumes and vapours
• Stress

Exposure to anything that is a hazard to health must be controlled.  There may also be a requirement for a formal occupational health programme for example when working with noisy or vibrating equipment or when being exposed to dust or vapours. 

As with all hazards in the workplace these must be eliminated where possible and where this is not possible they should be controlled.  There is a clear hierarchy of control and this is as follows:

 1) Elimination 

 2) Substitution

3) Engineering controls 

4) Administrative controls i.e. safe systems of work

5) Personal protective equipment 

Many employers simply select the option that requires the least work or in the least expensive, however this may not be the safest way to control the hazards.  Sometimes you will need to use more than one control measure to adequately control the risk. 

Occupational Health programmes can include audiometric testing, lung function testing, medical questionnaires or screening, skin checks  etc.  Failing to implement suitable occupational health programmes could result in employees suffering life changing illnesses such as industrial asthma, asbestosis,  dermatitis, noise induced hearing loss , occupational cancers and hand arm or whole body vibration syndrome. 

Some occupational health conditions must be reported to the HSE as part of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.