While there are plenty of benefits to greenhouse growing, this industry can also pose a risk to employees. An illness or injury occurring in one of your greenhouses or on your grounds can cause physical suffering, financial hardship, or both for your employees, which can ultimately impact your customers as well.
It’s important for business owners to be proactive in identifying and mitigating potential hazards. In this article, we will explore three areas in which you can make your greenhouse safer for employees. By implementing these strategies, you can help prevent accidents and injuries while also promoting a culture of safety in your workplace. Whether you are a seasoned greenhouse owner or just starting out, these tips will provide valuable insights to help you protect your employees and your business.
1. General Worker Safety
As a business owner, you are required to maintain a safe working space for your employees. OSHA outlines the rules and expectations companies must comply with to ensure safe working conditions, and it’s your responsibility to know your workers’ rights and protections under the law and abide by them.
Here are a few simple tips to help keep workers safe on the job and prevent workers’ compensation insurance claims:
- Supply water on overly hot days and encourage workers to stay properly hydrated.
- Encourage workers to wear sunscreen and hats to protect against the sun.
- In cold weather, require workers to wear proper boots, hats, and gloves to prevent frostbite.
- Allow workers to take breaks as needed to prevent over-exertion in extreme temperatures.
- Post a fire escape plan in visible areas and give copies to each employee. (They should also be able to direct customers in the event of a fire.)
- Remind employees to “Stop, drop, and roll” if their clothes should accidentally catch on fire.
- Offer CPR or first-aid classes for anyone interested, and be sure employees know how to handle a medical emergency.
- Prohibit employees from eating, drinking, or smoking while using pesticides or other chemicals.
- Post Safety Data Sheets prominently around chemicals to communicate information about specific hazards.
- Provide dollies or hand trucks so employees can move materials safely and be sure they have proper instruction on how to use the equipment.
OSHA provides excellent information regarding proper lifting techniques to explain how to lift objects safely, carry objects safely, and how to set them down safely. OSHA also offers classes on ergonomic lifting.
While the vast majority of plants are safe to handle, some are not. Offer educational training to your employees on plants that may be toxic or harmful in some way. They can also use that information to help protect your customers.
Here are four good resources for learning about dangerous plants:
- Head Start
- TECPlus (U.S. Department of Education)
- Washington Poison Center
- National Ag Safety Database
Inform your employees that chemicals and other toxins can leave residue on their hands and clothing. Workers may unknowingly transfer chemicals to their ears, mouths, eyes, or noses without realizing it. Require employees to wash their hands thoroughly many times throughout the day even if they routinely wear gloves.
When employees go home for the day, they can further protect themselves and their families from harmful chemicals by washing their work clothing separately from other laundry items.
2. Safe Handling of Chemicals
You can’t emphasize enough to your employees how important it is to handle chemicals safely. They need to know that pesticides can enter the body in various ways such as by inhaling them, ingesting them, or even absorbing them through the skin.
The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship website offers a wealth of information on safely handling pesticides. Here are some of the suggestions they offer:
- Read all labels carefully.
- Heed all precautions on the labels.
- Take note of first aid information listed on the label that outlines what to do if someone comes into contact with the chemical.
- Use Personal Protective Equipment (gloves, footwear, knee pads, safety glasses, masks, etc.)
- Measure chemicals in the correct amounts.
- Use specially marked tools or utensils for measuring chemicals.
- Show workers where to find absorbent materials and cleanup supplies and train them on procedures for cleaning up chemical spills.
If you haven’t already, you may want to consider establishing a policy that requires employees to strap down or otherwise secure chemicals if they are transporting them on a dolly or vehicle.
You can also schedule times for employees to use chemicals or pesticides when the greenhouse is closed to the public. Arrange for employees to spray outdoors whenever possible. Another safe strategy is to apply pesticides or chemicals outside, and then rotate them with other plants so the chemical residue has more time to wear off.
3. Use Your Insurance Agents as a Resource for Risk Management
One of the best resources you have for maintaining safe greenhouse operations is an insurance agent or broker that has niche expertise within the greenhouse industry. An experienced insurance agent or broker who specializes in the greenhouse industry can be helpful in the following ways:
- Identifying common risks
- Providing updates on compliance issues
- Assessing risks
- Sharing claims information
- Managing or mitigating risks
An insurance agent or broker who is familiar with greenhouse operations knows the operational risks business owners face every day with customers and employees. They are also aware of the potential for reputational risks if there is an accident or illness at the greenhouse.
Specialized insurance agents and brokers are also in the loop of the latest greenhouse compliance and other laws and regulations that may apply to your business (for example: data compliance, disability compliance, discrimination, etc.).
Your agent or broker will be among the first to learn about insurance claims that have been filed with similar businesses and what the outcomes were. This is helpful information in understanding how to assess and minimize the risks at your greenhouse.
All-Around Safety Requires Due Diligence
By making safety for the public and your employees a top priority, you will reap the benefits of having a profitable business with a good reputation. Your insurance agent or broker takes a deep interest in your business, and they are invested in helping you succeed.
NIP Group specializes in the greenhouse industry and offers the best commercial insurance products to protect your customers, employees, and your products. Discover more about GrowPro, one of the largest greenhouse grower insurance of its kind, and learn how we can protect your greenhouse operations.
