Section 3: Safety Practices

Glossary

Lesson 1: Hazards


Plant production areas range from being as simple and small as a backyard garden, to being as complex and extensive as the large tracts of land of a commercial farming enterprise. Somewhere within that range, there are commercial gardens and large greenhouse operations.

Regardless of the size and complexity of an operation, there are always potential health and safety hazards present. The potential of such hazards increases dramatically with the size of an operation, primarily because of the use of large equipment and machinery. Also, large operations are more likely to use a variety of hazardous substances such as fuels and chemicals, which can pose additional health and safety hazards.

Identification of such hazards is of utmost importance, so that one can assess them - with the aim of eliminating them or at least controlling them to the fullest extent possible.

The three steps of dealing with hazards: Identification, Assessment, and Control.



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In the next five parts of this section, we will deal with safety-related issues that pertain to plant production in agricultural or horticultural settings. They are as follows:

  • how hazardous chemicals can enter your body, and how to recognize if you have been exposed

  • recognizing harmful chemicals and storing them properly

  • hazards related to tools, machinery, and equipment used for plant production

  • personal protective equipment (PPE) that can be used to control hazards

  • preventing injuries from lifting, loading, and bending as we do our work
We will be learning about these matters within areas where plants are grown and propagated, but it should be kept in mind that the hazard controls involved also apply to other areas, especially our households.

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   Click here to learn more about hazards in Agriculture.